Malum Rêve
by kkann
Summary: You can't save a dead man, can you? *AU. Anakin's mission doesn't go as planned. Neither does anything else. A/P*
1. Prologue

_"To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none." -Sir Francis Bacon, Essays (1625) "Of Seditions and Troubles"  
><em>  
><strong>AN: **You guys! Ha! This initially started as one of those drabbles back in _'A Pod-Racing Jedi and a Queenly Senator_,' but I was asked by two people to continue with it, and there's an idea I've been tossing around in the back of my mind for quite some time now, so we'll see where this is really headed shortly.  
>Initially I had no idea where I was going with this (and I still do, is it that obvious?) and it was much, much short when I first thought of it. . .<p>

Painful Anakin/Padmé love in some respect, if you tilt your head far enough and squint.

This is only the Prologue, and I have a feeling this story is going to take some sort of darker turn at some point...  
>Or at least, there'll be a few near-death experiences. Those are always fun. |:<p>

If you'll excuse me though, I have no idea when the next chapter is coming. (To some regard, I think I'm sort of making this up as I go along.)

-In all honesty, feel free to skip this, if you'd like. As important as it may eventually prove to be, I'd like to think the story gets better as it progresses.  
>That said, I still hope you enjoy this AU either way.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong> - Also known as 'We'll Get There Eventually'

* * *

><p>There were very few things Anakin Skywalker chose to believe in. Death was not one of those more hopeful prospects.<p>

The dried breath that passed through his lips did little to voice his opinion on the matter and it passed through the cracks in his lips in a degrading and pained manner that only further enunciated his given circumstances and the crippled body he carried alongside his own.

_Put the ship down!_

He cringed and tried to clear his parched throat, choking on dust and grime and the knowledge that if didn't make it to the rendezvous point soon he never would. Obi-Wan's perplexed expression wavered through his mind's eye momentarily before turning to lecture him once more.

_Don't let your personal feelings get in the way!_

_Lower the ship!_

Fighting back the memory Anakin stumbled in the sand, refusing the drop her into its depths as he shuffled onward, his lower body lacking the strength to truly lift his legs any higher and farther. Again his Master flashed before him, silently demanding his haste and answers.

_I can't take Dooku alone! I need you!_

For a moment, Anakin feared what it meant to be truly alone.

What would have happened had he voiced his inquiry as to whether they were there yet?

_I don't care! Put the ship down!_

It wasn't that Anakin didn't care, it was that he couldn't. How could he care about the rest of the planet let alone galaxy when he had most of his focus on the dying woman in his arms?

His promise of everything turning out well was slowly fading.

_I can't leave her!_

He couldn't. He hadn't.

He had made a promise to come back for her and blast if he hadn't kept it. A bruise or two had been expected, but there was a wound or two and the bleeding wouldn't stop because he wasn't a Medic so what was he supposed to do; the most he was capable of was maybe a bandage and some spit and the notion that someone else could take care of it later.

Maybe she didn't quite have until later.

_Come to your senses!_

Out in the middle of the desert and on his own, Anakin didn't have any senses other than direction (as far as he hoped). He wanted nothing more than to stop and rest but he knew that he couldn't and he really just didn't have it in him at the time.

"Ani,"

The harsh whisper against the sleeve of robes and he wasn't even sure if the blood was his or hers or maybe even theirs. It hardly carried over the next gust of wind, and somewhere in the back of his throat he could already taste the pre-formed dread that came before the impending sandstorm. "Ani. . ."

"Everything's going to be all right." He cut in, perhaps more for the sake of his own sanity than anything. "Don't worry. It's going to be all right."

_It's okay, I've got you, I've got you. It's okay. I promise it's okay._

"No, Anakin—" He stumbled and shook the next few loose syllables out of her mouth. "Put me down, you don't need to carry me anymore."

"I can fix this."

He didn't want her to speak because it meant he didn't have to _think_, but he didn't want her to be silent because he didn't want to _remember_. But he was in control wasn't he, so why did she have to infringe on the moments that he thinks that well maybe everything's going to turn out all right.

But perhaps she had nothing to say that would be heard.

"I know Anakin, I know. I trust you, love, but I need you to believe me when I say you can put me down."

"You're injured." He bluntly stated, trying to keep his gaze on the ever-growing horizon rather than the worried gaze burning a hole into his cheek.

"It's only a flesh wound; we need to worry about you more." She tried to reach toward him if only to offer a reassuring touch when a bolt of pain shot down her arm and she tried not to think too much of the fracture that had taken up residence in her wrist. The sharp intake of breath captured his attention fully and he only briefly paused in his step to glance down at her with an expression that lacked any I-told-you-so smugness.

Any spiteful remark was bitten back as she found herself staring into his blank eyes, drowning in pain and anger and sorrow and the defeat that was slowly snaking its way in as he avoided accepting the fact that maybe things weren't going to be okay after all.

Against her better judgment she flinched away from his gaze, choosing instead to burrow her face into the small hollow between his arm and side when she realized that his robes were still damp and increasingly so.

"Anakin, your side," She pulled away and tried to roll out of his tightening arms, trying to ignore how her cheek was now slick and her husband was steadily losing his pallor.

"It's a flesh wound Padmé, I'm fine."

His voice rasped against her eardrums and she found herself confounded by the blurred image of a man in black enveloped by fire. Pushing the thought aside as she pressed her palms to his shoulders and fought with the screeching pain in her arm and shoulder along with the resolve that clearly stated she would not be released at all costs.

"No Anakin, no you're not." Padmé gingerly touched her fingers to where she assumed the wound was and received a hiss of pain as confirmation.

"Love, I'd rather you. . .didn't." He ground out, choosing to focus more so on the destination that seemed to be crawling farther and farther away and his wife in his arms because if he didn't it gave time for his mind to wander and for the pain to become more than just bearable.

"Anakin, we need to stop for a moment."

Now it hurts and the pain—_Force_ it _hurts_ and why can't they just be there already and why did he have to get shot at and why did Dooku get the opportunity to meet his mark and he's tired and he's still bleeding and it _hurts it hurts it hurts_—

"Ani—"

"We'll be there soon, angel. It's just a little further to where I told Obi-Wan I'd meet him." Anakin took a breath and dug his heel in the sand to propel himself further, trying to be sure to lift his foot a little higher next time so that his toes didn't catch—would there be a next time?

Padmé choked back a grunt as she hit the ground rolling, the nerves in her body screaming as her center of balance flipped and her husband collapsed into the sands without much promise of getting up. She groaned as she twisted onto her stomach, instinctively reaching one hand toward her belt for the nonexistence blaster dropped during the scuffle and for the hand of her unmoving husband.

"Anakin?" She croaked as her voice cracked, sore fingers grasping dirty air and clutching at Anakin's still hand. "Oh, Ani, no. . ."

Padmé Amidala was a strong woman full of will-power; Padmé Skywalker was a married woman fearing for her husband's life.

She grasped his hand and all but pulled him toward her crawling form to meet her half-way as he groaned quietly in protest. Hoisting herself onto her knees she tentatively turned him over onto his back, attempting to don a mask of indifference to his of muted pain. He uttered a gurgling sound from the back of his throat, releasing a dribble of saliva and blood into the heel of her palm as she shifted his head into her lap.

"Where does it hurt most, Ani?"

Padmé chewed at her lip to the beat of the dull throb in her temple as he haphazardly ghosted his fingertips over the wounded flesh of her head in an attempt to flip their positions and reassure her. His smile was broken as his attention turned back to the pain he'd been forcing himself to ignore for however long he'd been carting his wife through the desert with only one thing on his mind.

"Everywhere."

There were two things in life Anakin Skywalker found it hard to accept: death and failure. His wife was not about to let him submit to either.

"I've had better weeks,"

She blinked back the tears she wasn't willing to admit had formed as she reached for her husband's outstretched hand, giving him a small smile herself if only to confirm the fact that she was still by his side.

"I'm going to make some of the pain go away."

Her words felt wrong and forced even to her, but she hadn't known what else to say in that moment and Anakin obviously was a bit worse for wear and not about to make any smart comment with the wound in his side that was now quite a bit more than just a dull ache.

"You already do." He murmured, turning his face into her stomach as he tried to turn his attention to somewhere other than the blood pooling between his wife's fingers as she applied pressure and tried to staunch the bleeding. He even found himself biting into the perspired cloth coating her stomach.

"I stained your cloak," Anakin ground out into her abdomen, unaware of the delicate eye roll Padmé hadn't been able to withhold.

"I have more important things to worry about, Anakin."

"Obi-Wan probably got lost." He grumbled, gingerly pressing his own free hand to his wound while Padmé tore at the battered cloak he'd wrapped her in before dragging her out into the dunes. "Didn't hit any major organs though."

"How do you know that?" The Senator shot out, much too perplexed and agitated to watch her tone.

"'Cause if he did I wouldn't be here with you right now." Anakin stated bluntly, his gaze zoning in and out of focus as he tried to locate his wife's eye.

She paused in what she was doing, her mask flashing between a grimace and fear. "Keep talking like that and maybe you won't be."

Whatever string of words he uttered were lost on her when the winds kicked up and carried their meaning off with it, his eyes seeing red and his body feeling nothing but a throb and burning it didn't know what to do with. Had he been any closer to the man, Dooku's lightsaber would have truly impaled the Jedi, his blade already doing enough damage—what with the bruised ribs and numb arm that he'd struggled to carry Padmé with.

The fact that he'd already been injured pre-duel hadn't helped matters any.

"It's going to be all right Ani, I promise." Padmé whispered, trying to feel the warmth from the liquid coating her hands and dripping from her fingers into the indifferent sands that had brought them there.

"I was born in sand and I'll die in sand. Kinda poetic in a sick, ironic way." Anakin said, one of the first full sentences he'd been able to manage following Padmé's insertion of digits into his burned skin.

"Stop talking," She whispered again, not truly looking at him.

"I was late." He continued, as if she hadn't spoken. "I'm sorry."

Padmé held back what would have sounded like bitter laughter. "You may have quite a few things to atone for, Anakin Skywalker, but your inability to tell time isn't one of them."

"Mmh," He hummed in response, almost amused as he allowed his eyelids to slide down a bit. "I love you Padmé, I'm sorry."

"You're such a sap," She replied, trying not to show too much otherwise weak emotion as she let out a cracked chuckle. He remained muted for a moment, and her heart thudded in her ears as her subconscious jumped to the worst possible conclusion, oblivious to the albeit unsteady beat of his heart against her hands.

"Don't you dare die on me, Anakin Skywalker." Padmé suddenly called out, staring down at him with malicious eyes that failed to hide her fear.

"'M not dying, 'Mé." Anakin mumbled, sliding deeper into blissful unconsciousness because that meant the pained stopped and all he had to think about was Padmé so why was she crying everything was going to be all right just like he promised.

Promises are meant to be kept, are they not?

"Then stop acting like it," She stuttered, studying his closed eyelids and nearly missing the fairly large and dark shadow that thundered over them as she bent to protect what she could of his body from the elements.

Glancing up she followed the cause of the shadow's trajectory, passing a cracked smile as she recognized the forms and figures and all but cutting off any circulation to Anakin's hands before her grip traveled to his hair and glossed down the sides of his face.

"Anakin, Anakin they're here. . ." She breathed, pressing her forehead to his and offering a chaste kiss to a mass of hair scarred by sand and burns. "Anakin they're here."

There were a few beats while her ragged breath toyed with his hair.

"Anakin. . .Anakin no. . .Anakin." She pulled herself back just barely, staring uncomprehendingly at his peaceful yet perplexed expression. "Anakin! _Anakin!_"

She'd been so caught up in screaming his name that she hardly noticed the fingers of Obi-Wan digging into her shoulders and prying her off of the wounded man while he shouted her name, nor did she take into account the way Anakin's back arched with a bloodcurdling outcry that sent the medic tumbling over himself.

Anakin had made a promise to save her, so who was she to not return the favor?


	2. Chapter I

_"To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none." -Sir Francis Bacon, Essays (1625) "Of Seditions and Troubles"_

**A/N: **Oh look the second chapter. Which is actually more or less really the first chapter. But disregarding all that-I retitled the story to '_Malum Rêve_' as you can presumably tell, which is Latin and French for 'bad dream,' respectively.

First off I kinda want to also apologize for what may seem like a general lack of action and progress in this chapter. That said, this also serves to set some sort of tone and establish the relationships that already exist so I don't really need to get into that so ah well blah blah why am I still talking because I can. And it's 2:30 AM; this note's not so good.  
>Uh, yeah. This chapter is...uh, well it's here.<p>

Have fun with it.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter I <strong>- Also Known as 'As Soon As I Say Hello I Have to Say Goodbye'

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala awoke in a flurry of sheets and perspiration, her hair plastered down her neck and back, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling above her. She panted once as she waited for the pounding of her heart to return to its normal state as it thudded in her ears, each beating in time with a flash of vivid imagery featuring the only man she fully trusted lying limp before her.<p>

It wasn't until the roaring in her eardrums had died down a bit that she heard the water running in the refresher and realized that she'd just been a prisoner of her own nightmares rather than reality.

She rolled over onto her side, fingering the sheets molded to her husband's absent form, reveling in the way he could make her miss him even from just the other side of the wall.

For a few moments Padmé allowed herself to remain in the realm of blissfulness nothingness that followed the throes of an unpleasant dream before struggling to remind herself that lying back and curled up in bed is not something Padmé Amidala did on a daily basis. There were things to be done.

Padmé Skywalker, however, couldn't be bothered.

She'd been rolled over onto her side and cocooning herself further into the sheets when the water had ceased and Anakin reappeared, propelling himself back into the bed that was rightfully his with an impish grin as he shook his head, giving his wife a few droplets right in the eye.

Letting out a surprised shriek she reached a hand to her husband's bare chest in order to shove him away as she smirked in kind only to feel his natural fingers close around her palm while his artificial ones brought her closer. Padmé rested her head against him, tucking it under his chin and then found herself absently ghosting her fingers over his skin searching for any marred flesh or sign of injury.

Her forehead vibrated as he cleared his throat, shifting himself under her fingertips as they touched his side. She bit her lip to hold back the smile that threatened to split as she recalled the spot just below his ribcage being one of the more ticklish areas on his body. Padmé paused in her ministrations and brought her hand back, choosing instead to further bury her face into Anakin's chest and forget the things her mind's eye had bombarded her with.

To her dismay he pulled away of his own accord, and looking up at him she became well aware of the concern and the like evident in the blue eyes that typically held some sort of laughter reserved just for her.

"Padmé? Are you ok?" The worry in his voice cut away the few moments of blissful ignorance that she'd enveloped herself with and she struggled to keep herself from turning away or making up some sort of excuse to save face.

Instead, she gave him the only answer she could.

"I don't know." Anakin opened his mouth to press further, only for Padmé to carry on and cut him off. "I just had a dream Anakin; it's nothing to worry about."

The last bit was perhaps said more for herself, as obvious as it was.

"But it still bothers you." Her husband stated with the downward twitch of his brow.

"It _did,_" Padmé responded, reaching up to brush her husband's damp hair away from his eye. "But it doesn't anymore. It's nothing more than my subconscious messing with me."

They let that settle between them before Anakin gave a slow nod; Padmé tried to look too relieved that he'd let it slide for the time being. He inclined his head toward her and brushed his lips against her temple, whispering bits of nothing against the skin that still had some hair plastered to it.

It wasn't until they were lying next to one another again after she'd coerced him into sleep pants rather than his towel that he spoke words he presumably should have kept to himself.

"I guess I'd rather you dream instead me."

It was as he said this that Padmé tore her gaze away from the ceiling for the second time, giving her husband an incredulous look that accompanied the frown dancing along the contours of her mouth.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He'd meant no harm by his words, but he still flinched at her tone. Anakin hadn't meant it in a manner that had suggested she ought to have the nightmares while he dozed in peace, so this only served as another instance where his poor word choice had granted Obi-Wan the title of 'The Negotiator' whilst he himself preferred to let his lightsaber do the talking.

"Padmé," He huffed, trying not to let his growing frustration with himself get the best of him. "Jedi don't dream." Anakin shifted, and the level of discomfort in the room reached an all-time high. "If anything they only have some twisted visions of things that they can hope to fix even though they really can't."

Her husband turned his head to face, interlocking her fingers with his enough for her feel the circuitry running between the mechanical tendons as she got a front row view of the bitterness and sorrow that was being only just held at bay somewhere in those irises of his.

His mood suddenly shifted and the twist of his mouth turned into another one of his grins saved for his wife while he rolled over, successfully pinning her down. Anakin gently ran the tip of his nose down the side of his face as he spoke against her cheek.

"But enough depressing things—about this dream of yours," The swift bend of his elbow brought a quick end to Padmé's attempt to wriggle out from under his makeshift prison, only adding more fire to his smirk. "Was I in it?"

Padmé had to let a laugh that sounded more like an exasperated scoff.

"Are you sure this so-called 'Hero With No Fear' isn't really a narcissist?"

She felt his teeth brush against her skin as his smile fully formed.

"Preach it to the choir, love." Anakin placed a kiss to the corner of her jaw and she granted him with an amused chuckle, choosing to wrap her arm around her husband's neck to pull him just a bit closer. Glancing up at him with lidded eyes she paused and he was then sure his brain probably would've exploded and he would have promised her _anything_ if she would just come a little _closer_ already.

"La," Padmé breathed against his lips. There was a throaty laugh before he took it upon himself to close the gap.

* * *

><p>It was when his comm. link screamed to life that Anakin fell off the bed and nearly cracked his head open on the nightstand.<p>

Padmé shoved her hand to her mouth to keep herself from laughing and then practically flung herself across the bed in order to make sure there were no bloodstains to be removed from the carpet. Oh, and to make sure her husband's head was still intact, of course.

Anakin quickly popped back over the side, rested his chin on the mattress and gave his wife an otherwise blank look with still seated relatively comfortably for the most part on the floor.

"Why is it that Obi-Wan takes it upon himself to try to reach me whenever I'm with you? It's never when I'm in my own quarters—and I actually haven't been since the fire damage—, or when I'm off meandering around Coruscant because there's _so_ much to do here, or even Force-forbid when I'm in the 'fresher.'" He shook his head, effectively creasing the sheet beneath his jaw. "I swear, sometimes it's like he _knows_."

Padmé gave him a wry smile as she once again brushed hair from his eyes, her gaze flitting to the small device that was still pleading for its all too familiar presence to be heard. "Aren't you going to answer that?"

His expression shifted into that of a raised eyebrow and rather curious look. "Are you trying to get rid of me, milady?"

"It's just that my husband will be here soon…" She responded in a fairly coy manner just for him. "And he _is_ a Jedi."

Anakin's mouth formed into a small 'o' as he feebly tried to keep the amusement from spreading across his face. "A _Jedi_, huh? I wonder what'll happen when he finds another man in your bedchambers."

He propelled himself back onto the mattress and landed beside his wife, causing her to bounce while his comm. link continued to scream while he blatantly ignored it. Padmé's own eyebrows rose as she tried to keep her look rather placid.

"I'm sure he'll probably have a brain hemorrhage."

Anakin gave her a look as she let out an airless chuckle and he withheld the urge to stick his tongue out at her for all of half a second. Placing his hand to his temple and then pulling it away as he mimed a small explosion he reached for one of his only means of communication and was gifted with the exasperated voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi the moment his finger slid across the button.

"—Anakin, where the blazes have you been?"

Said man let that linger in the air for a moment before choosing his words.

"I was taking a shower. I wasn't aware that doing so required your permission. Maybe next time I'll ask, and no you're not invited."

Padmé hid her face in her hands with a groan to her husband's off-handed shrug. They could both visualize the blank look on his former Master's face.

"I don't—Anakin what in the _hells_ of Mustafar—" There was the sound of an annoyed Obi-Wan puffing air out of his mouth and trying to check his emotions in check with a muffled 'Force give me strength' while he tried to regain his composure. "I don't even know what to do with you anymore."

"You haven't given up on me, have you?" Anakin joked, moving to stand as Padmé's hand graced the side of his arm, causing him to pause. He turned to look at her, nodding once to the look that clearly told him to rein himself in before Obi-Wan himself had the brain hemorrhage.

"No, this is just one of those moments where I regret not having handed you over to Master Windu to train." Kenobi himself quipped, by now easily past his former Padawan's off-color comment.

"Yeah, because _that_ would have gone well." Skywalker replied with a huff, glancing around the room and then back at his wife who in turn pointed to a fairly modest bureau across from the bed.

"Yes, perhaps he would have taught you how to hold your tongue and learn a few manners." The grin could be heard in his statement and the man from Tatooine gave humorless 'ha ha.'

"Maybe he would have taught me how to be bald and frown too." Anakin retorted, mouthing a 'thanks' to Padmé—who rolled her eyes with a smirk—and shifting through the now opened bureau, looking for some clean clothes that belonged to him. It took a moment for that last bit of what Obi-Wan had said to register. "Hey, I only belched _once_ at the dinner table and you _laughed_. You even responded with your own!"

"Anakin, we were off-world and it was customary to thank our hosts in that manner. What wasn't customary was the sudden chorus of belches you apparently thought were necessary."

"I don't see how it was customary to try to get me drunk either, and if I recall correctly you weren't exactly all that sober yourself. And it's your fault that…thing hit on me." Skywalker grumbled while exchanging his sleep pants for the ones he typically wore. Padmé bit her lip to keep her laughter from being overheard by the other man on the comm. link.

"The chief's daughter had taken a liking to you, and if it was going to keep us from being eaten alive then I was going to go for it. You technically weren't drunk either, considering the non-alcoholic drinks you'd been having." Obi-Wan stated the occurrence as if he saw no harm in the manner, obviously pleased with the way he was messing with Anakin's head—something they'd taken to doing to one another over the years.

"So I'm a human sacrifice then? Thanks." Anakin shoved his under tunic on and then fumbled with his outer layers, trying not to drop his belt in the process. "I mean, I was _fourteen!_ She was what, eight hundred?"

"Eight hundred and thirty-seven, actually. Her kind marries young, apparently."

The Jedi Knight could feel his wife's grimace from where he stood sliding his clothes on, gritting his teeth at the not overly fond memory of his. His own frown was buried within the folds of cloth that had chosen not to go over his head.

"Marries young, what a load of poodoo—_Ow!_" He hissed violently and cursed under his breath, nursing his wounded shin, all but hopping away from the bureau and sitting back on the edge of the bed. "Why is it that the only things these are good for is finding furniture in the dark?"

"You bashed your shin again, didn't you?" Obi-Wan's voice came after the muttered inquiry of Anakin, the latter of which was now passing over his newly acquired injury to shove his boots on.

"How'd you know?" Padmé made her way over to her husband silently, wrapping her arms around her husband's shoulders. She handed him the gloves he'd been glancing around for wordlessly.

"Because you say that every time you bash your shins. Or elbows, for that matter." Obi-Wan's matter-of-fact tone was fairly clear, yet there was still the underlying annoyance in his voice that Anakin was reluctantly picking up on.

"I'm beginning to think you know me too well." Anakin's head tilted away just slightly as the missus rested her chin upon the junction between his neck and shoulder. "Which wing are you in?"

"East. Anakin you told me you'd be here by now and you know the Council isn't going to wait forever…" The suddenly stern voice of the Jedi Master was lost on the couple as Anakin glanced back at his wife and planted a quick kiss to the side of her face.

As a result of her refusal to let go, the nicknamed 'Hero With No Fear' was sure to give his friend a quick,

"Give me five minutes."

* * *

><p>Anakin was adjusting his belt and clothing for the umpteenth time when he came across his former Master giving his view of the outside world a rather severe look.<p>

"I'm sure if you glare at the smog long enough it'll vanish." Anakin said, finding some amusement in the idea of catching Obi-Wan off guard.

The Council member wasn't going to have any of it, looking over at the younger man with a grin as his hand went to his beard.

"I suppose you could try that. Not the most ingenious method I've ever heard, but if you could make it work I'm sure many people would be pleased." He tried to ignore Anakin's sneer at his jest. "You're early."

The man's brow furrowed for a moment. "I thought you said…" He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "The Council wasn't going to wait forever. Besides, you only call me when I'm late or it's an emergency. I'm beginning to think this isn't one."

"I thought we'd try something new today. You being a few minutes early for something or going an hour without something exploding won't kill you, I'll have you know." Kenobi blatantly ignored the eye roll he received as Skywalker stalked to the window.

"Fine then, what's on the agenda for today—watching speeders go by? Who do you think is going fastest and going to crash first? Give me something to work with here please; I'm pulling at straws." Obi-Wan let out a breath and came to stand beside his friend. "I was asleep."

"I thought you said you were taking a shower?"

"I was multi-tasking," Anakin quickly covered, glad the light coming in from the window only highlighted his profile from where his former Master stood. "Haven't you ever taken a quick shower while half-asleep?"

"I don't even want to know how, nor do I want to know why," Obi-Wan muttered, folding his arms.

"It might be best if you didn't."

"Shall we leave it at that then?"

"Yes, let's."

The duo grinned at one another, pleased at the idea that time doesn't change all things—perhaps one more so than the other—, including the wit and banter that had accompanied their relationship. There was a moment of silence before Obi-Wan broke it and spoke.

"The Council will be meeting now—they have some new assignment for us." He turned and began to walk away with the expectation that Anakin would follow—which he did. "Where is your Padawan, by the way?"

"In her quarters or hanging around with Bariss last I knew," Came the reply along with the shuffle of feet as he picked up his pace to walk side-by-side. "Why, should she probably be at this meeting?"

"It wouldn't hurt if she was, but it also wouldn't hurt if she wasn't. Apparently this is more for the two of us anyhow." Obi-Wan cast a side-long glance at Anakin who seemed neither pleased nor disappointed.

"Yeah well, she's missing another riveting meeting. Her loss." Kenobi paused and gestured for the other Jedi to enter the chambers before him while they waited for the rest of the Council to convene. It was apparently left to Anakin to wander aimlessly around the room staring at everything in near wonder.

"Someday, Anakin…" Obi-Wan murmured, stepping into the rounded room and letting the door slid behind him. Said man had obviously picked up on the other's words, pausing in his wandering to glancing up and over at him.

"What?"

Obi-Wan raised hand to wave it off, brutally setting aside an unsettling thought that had flitted through his mind and gave Anakin a soft smile of his.

"Nothing, Anakin. Nothing at all."

* * *

><p>A few kilometers away Padmé Amidala remained seated to the edge of her bed with her sheet wrapped around her, fingering the Japor snippet looped around her neck and trying to fight the unnerving knot growing in the pit of her stomach.<p> 


	3. Chapter II

_"To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none." -Sir Francis Bacon, Essays (1625) "Of Seditions and Troubles"_

**A/N:** Well, it is about time I got the second chapter out to you, isn't it? I meant to do this much sooner but then some other things got in the way and well, it is what it is. Again not too much action, but here begins some plot development and all that good stuff, but it may not be until chapter 3/4/5/uh, whatever that you _really _see something happening. But we'll get there, I suppose. Soon enough.  
>Is it sad that to some extent I have no idea where this is going? Cool. The last line does give some sort of hint though. I think. Uhm.<br>But this chapter was eight pages on Word and I was proud of myself. And thank you, Wookieepedia for the Jedi Council Gathering stuff. That website will come into play a lot during this story.

Also, I don't know if this sounds like begging or not because I'd rather it didn't, but if you are actually reading this story, would you mind leaving a review? It doesn't have to be some in-depth one by any means, but I'm spending a lot of time writing this story and it would be nice to know your thoughts on it. Not only that, but I'm curious as to where you think this is headed. Again, I don't mean to beg, but I hope you can understand where I'm coming from.

I can't even begin to tell you when the next chapter is coming.

Ah, well. Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter II <strong>- Also known as 'The More Attention You Pay, the Less You Understand'

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><p>Anakin Skywalker had busied himself with shuffling his feet across the floor of the Council chambers and resisting the urge to make faces at his reflection in it when Obi-Wan cleared his throat to get his attention. With the air of a young child caught in some foolish sort of act he glanced up at his former Master, the doe-eyed expression of his not lost on the eight other Jedi Masters currently allowing themselves free reign of the circular room overlooking its own portion of the city-planet.<p>

Deciding it was in his best interest to either bolt or shut up and sit down—which could not be done, unless he wanted to seat himself on the floor in a docile manner, something he wasn't overly capable of—Anakin made a quick pivot and made it his way back to stand at the doorway, watching in slight bemusement as Obi-Wan shot him a 'brow-raised look as he positioned himself accordingly.

Anakin had to admit there was still some raw amazement on his part that came with watching these twelve beings convene into one, even as blue images flickered to represent the presence of those physically unable to attend while they all bowed respectfully to one another. To keep himself from being too conspicuous the young Jedi Knight bowed as well, if only to show the respect these Masters so rightfully deserved.

"With all of us may the Force be, and the peace of this temple be ours, a place open to thought and speech, a realm of mutual respect, and a haven of shared noble purpose."

Skywalker made it a point to keep his mouth shut as the traditional oath was spoken upon the Gathering of the Council; his gaze darting between each of the dozen Jedi Masters as they spoke together, uttering words he himself hoped to utter one day.

"Let us take seats together, with no one above the others."

In order to show his place—something he may not have been willing to do on a daily basis, yet there seemed to be something different about today—and simply because he didn't feel like standing anymore, Anakin knelt on the cool floor. Keeping from glancing at his rather dark reflection he maintained eye contact with Yoda's forehead, which in itself wasn't too hard to do.

"May we work together, free from the restrains of ego and jealousy, at this gathering and all others to come."

The twelve Jedi bowed to one another again, taking their rightful seats and waiting for the meeting to commence. It only took a few moments for a thirteenth presence to be noted. Anakin's attempt at a reassuring grin faltered when all eyes suddenly turned to him, following Grand Master Yoda's rather benevolent gaze.

"Joined us I see you have, young Skywalker."

Anakin swallowed the lump in his throat with a great deal of strength—granted there may have been moments he didn't overly mind the spotlight, but being stared at by twelve of the most powerful beings in the galaxy…well, that wasn't something he was too fond of at the moment.

"I can leave," He gestured dismissively at the door behind him, as if doing so would grant some answer to a question he didn't even know he was looking for. "Master Kenobi," He caught himself at the last minute, stating the man's title rather than namesake. "Told me I'd been summoned, but if I'm too early…" He trailed off and tried to ignore the smirk on said man's face.

"Early you are, but a problem that is not." Yoda smiled—if that is what it could be called. Anakin thought his green little face was simply stuck that way most of the time. The reassurance in his tone did little to calm Anakin's nerves and the fact that he felt something desperately _wrong_ in the back of his mind.

Obi-Wan's brow twitched barely perceptibly.

The youngest in the room gave a quick nod and resigned to remaining where he was on the floor, earning a few chuckles from those around him. Being laughed at had never been the bane of Anakin's existence, but if it had bothered him in that moment he didn't show it.

Obi-Wan flashed a glance of warning in the former Padawan's direction.

Anakin really had no idea how most Council meetings went, even from the many he'd been summoned to, but even then he'd only come at the close and had very little to go off of. If the rest were this boring and monotonous he decided he'd just as soon become a moisture farmer on some backwater planet than join the ranks of the Jedi Masters, as prestigious as that may have sounded.

One of the flickering blue images suddenly jumped, catching his attention and breaking his otherwise riveting staring contest with a slow moving speeder on the other side of the window.

Ki-Adi Mundi grabbed at his belt, wrapping his hand around his lightsaber hilt. Offering a quick apology and begging for pardon his hologram cut out due to some impending crisis on Christophsis that had the be dealt with _now_. As much to their chagrin as it was, the Council let it pass, all nodding to the space his visage had recently vacated.

It was the next proclamation, however, that _really_ got Anakin's attention.

"What?" If he'd been trying to hide the incredulity in his tone, he'd failed miserably.

"Seated, you should be rather than kneeling as you are."

Anakin let Yoda's words settle and tried to figure out which of the Masters had started this whole joke simply as a means of messing with him.

"Have a seat, Skywalker." While he may have meant well with his words, Mace Windu's tone had never once truly been the highlight of Anakin's day, seeing as most of the time he detected a hint of superiority and general displeasure when it came to dealing with the boy from Tatooine. The fact that Mace showed little trust and faith in the young man was just as unnerving in its own right.

The Jedi Knight stood abruptly, glancing in the direction that Shaak Ti was gesturing to and then at his former Master as if looking for an all-clear sign. Obi-Wan's curt nod had his heart thumping just a bit faster as he shuffled his feet once more, perching himself precariously on the edge of the sit Mundi's hologram had recently occupied.

Anakin was in all honesty too absorbed in the idea of actually _sitting_ in a Council member's chair and the fact that he had willingly—'willingly' being the relative term—been _invited_ to by its Grand Master to pay full attention to what was going on around him.

His mind quickly traveled back to Padmé, though the moment her features passed through his mind's eye he realized he had to quell his thoughts lest the Force suddenly spring open and decide to throw everything in his face.

What he hadn't been able to quell, however, was the bit of frustration and general worry when it came to thoughts of his wife, having increased some ten-fold since that morning and her reluctance to tell him anything.

In most cases Anakin had been the reserved one, choosing only to share bits and pieces with his wife due in part to his desire to erase doubt and worry from her mind, only to create more so as a result. In a rather unusual turn of events it had been Padmé refusing to go too far into detail with her husband, casting off this 'dream' of hers as little more than her subconscious mind playing tricks on her and toying with her fears.

Anakin had little trust in dreams. He may have put faith into a few too many things at varying times, but dreams—especially those of his own—were nothing he overly cared to trifle with. The fact that his wife was all too reluctant to share anything about hers with him failed to help matters any.

Of course, as his mind was wandering and he was too focused on keeping his thoughts shielded from the others around him he failed to notice that he was being addressed by both Mace Windu and Yoda and the fact that his foot was currently going numb.

"Skywalker." Windu's rather blunt statement of his name caught his attention and he turned his head so fast to look at him he swore everyone else could hear his neck crack. Something flashed through Mace's eyes and Anakin could have _sworn_ the other man was probably mildly amused right then.

"Yes, Master Windu." Anakin practically coughed out the five syllables, having attempted to clear his throat before he spoke and failing to do so.

"Anxiety, I sense in you." Yoda said, not exactly cutting in but not exactly waiting for Windu to continue either. It may have just been the latter opening for the Grand Master or just trying to get Anakin's attention earlier. "Something bothering you, there is?"

Lying wasn't something Anakin was fond of, but it wasn't something he avoided doing. Now wouldn't be one of those times.

"There is…I think." It was more than clear that the young man wanted to skirt around the subject and get back to whatever the Masters had been talking about—it could have been shaving their heads and adopting wild banthas for all he cared, he just _really_ didn't want to talk about how it was something about his _wife_ that was bothering him. He blinked a few times and tore his gaze away from Master Yoda, vainly trying to ignore the burning sensation at the back of his neck. All he then said was, "Something doesn't feel right."

Yoda nodded briefly while the others sat and watched.

"Speak of this later, we will."

Anakin wondered if there would be a later. And then he wondered why that thought had even crossed his mind.

Anakin spent the next half-hour or better portion of the standard hour—who knew how long these things really went on for—in a daze, only half listening to the conversations around him that was presumably very important. As luck would have it he didn't appear to be the only one feeling rather bored at the moment; the figure across from him practically had his eyes glazed over. Had he been forced to remain in the room any longer he was sure his brain would have exploded after frying from sheer boredom.

He nodded numbly to the words "May the Force be with you," while he responded to "With you as well," and bowed respectfully as the meeting was adjourned, but it wasn't until he noticed Obi-Wan's smirk as the exited together that he realized he was _definitely_ missing something.

"What just happened?" He inclined his head toward his former Master, lowering his voice to keep the others from overhearing his question. Obi-Wan only gave him that knowing smirk of his. "All right, what'd I miss this time?"

The sole response he received was the loose shrug of one shoulder. "Oh, nothing much really. Just the usual deal with a lack of anything out of the ordinary like always."

Anakin fought back a grimace.

"I zoned out and we've just been assigned to a new mission and you're not going to tell me where we're going, are you?" It took the younger man all of two strides to keep up with Obi-Wan's pace, eyeing the man out of the corner of his eye and perhaps wishing it were possible for his beard to spontaneous combust as a result.

"Do you think so little of me, Anakin?" The look of false hurt that passed through his features only made Anakin think he was mocking him, which he pretty much was. The latter narrowed his eyes slightly, the scar furrowing a bit. Kenobi grinned again and set off at a decent clip, tossing his next words over his shoulder with a raised hand. "We're heading off to Dantooine tomorrow to scout out a few suspect areas."

The incredulous look on Skywalker's face was remarkably obvious.

"Dantooine? The back water planet in the middle of nowhere?" His tone had faltered on the last half of the planet's name, as it had brought with it rather painful memories he'd been working to suppress for years. "Man, _now_ things are getting interesting!"

Obi-Wan granted him a short 'hah' with the reminder to: "Do remember to bring your cloak this time, Anakin. Reliving your complaints about the weather and how cold you think it is _not_ something I look forward to."

Anakin's otherwise rude response fell upon deaf ears.

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><p>The first thing Anakin Skywalker noticed when he walked into the hanger was the foot of Ahsoka Tano that he just about tripped over. She made a startled more so than pained noise, retracting her foot and ducking out from under the wing of her Master's starfighter. Her frown faltered as she smiled.<p>

"Well it's nice to see you too, Skyguy."

"Always is, isn't it?" He shot back, folding his arms with a grin as he leaned back against his prized ship, as battered as it was. Ahsoka gave him a cross between a grimace and a smirk.

"Can I not answer that?" Anakin's grin faltered as she spoke.

"It would probably be best if you didn't, yes." His not-so genuine sneer received very little response from the Togruta leaning her head back against the weathered wing of her Master's prized Delta-7B _Aethersprite_-class starfighter. As such she returned to what she had been doing moments before, casting him a glance over her shoulder in a universal '_so what do you want?_'gesture. The corner of his mouth twitched. "What are you doing, exactly?"

She loosened her grip around a small torch and set it beside the brush and rag she'd been fumbling with only moments before Anakin had wandered right in to the hanger like he owned the place; she gave him a quirked brow and nearly blank look. "There are scorch marks on your fighter, if you hadn't noticed. I thought I'd try to buffer them."

Ahsoka's rather harsh tone just about went over Anakin's head to be locked away for future reference in the back of his mind.

"You never had to do that. Why are you?" He folded his arms and paused, continuing on when she gave no immediate answer. "How exactly do you expect to buffer scorch marks with a dirty rag, a torch, a brush that's missing half of its bristles and no cleaning solutions?"

Ahsoka passed a glance at her handiwork and then back at her Master, trying to cover the fact that she'd actually been working on tightening the bolts that were supposed to hold the wing to the body of the ship after Skywalker's last escapade had nearly _broken it off_ for some strange reason. Consider it a surprise she wanted to present to him for some reason. That, and it was pretty much a blow to his pride for someone else to tackle a task he'd chosen to take upon himself.

He didn't ignore her grin.

"What?"

"Skyguy, what do you know about cleaning solutions?"

Anakin scoffed and tried not to look too insulted. "Seriously? Do you have so little faith in me? There may be a few things I may be clueless on, but I for one know how to _clean_ and can find a promising opportunity when I see it."

Ahsoka frowned and tried to figure out where this conversation was going and how it had even gotten there.

"Like how you and Master Kenobi are gambling all the time?"

"It's not _gambling_, it's _betting_." It was the Jedi Knight's turn to frown this time. "The only difference being that the loser has to do some sort of favor for the victor. It's a complex operation I'm afraid you wouldn't fully understand."

"So you're saying if you and I make a bet and I win, you'll actually clean our quarters for once?" Half of a smirk formed on her features as she watched her Master struggle to rein in the urge to stick his tongue out at her. The last bit she spoke was more for herself than anything. "It's not like you're ever there anyway…"

"Need I remind you that _I'm_ not the one who set it on fire?" His verbal jab just about bounced off his Padawan to smack him in the face.

"_You_ were the one that said it'd be _okay_ to have a hot-plate in there because _you're_ the one that hates most of the food they give out in the dining hall!" Ahsoka shot back, leaping to her feet in an attempt to make up for their height difference even though she was still sorely lacking in the matter.

"And was _I_ the one to leave it unattended? I don't think so." Anakin leaned down toward with his arms still folded across his chest in order to look her in the eye. "Granted it wasn't a fire of a monstrous scale, but take into consideration all the work that has to be done with our quarters now."

"There was only a fire because you leave all of your stuff everywhere. It was mostly your clothes and blanket that burned anyway. The 'droids were just too freaked out to let us stay there afterward because they assumed someone had robbed the place because it's a complete _mess_!"

It became obvious that only part of Ahsoka's short tirade had registered with Anakin. His eyes narrowed just slightly and he let the silence linger between them for a few beats.

"You burned my blanket?"

Briefly Ahsoka pondered the repercussions that accompanied slapping her Master across the face.

The desire to do so was quickly squashed when he suddenly snickered and shook his head, pulling away from her to stand at his full height. His snicker evolved into a full-blown laugh that Ahsoka had to admit she hadn't heard in awhile, and she found some solace in the notion that Anakin was still his usual self in some way, shape, and form.

"Ahsoka, all that matters to me is the fact that you weren't hurt. I could have cared less about the things in that room, let alone the dingy blankets we get to use. Don't tell the Council I told you this, but you could have blown off the entire wing of the Temple and I wouldn't have cared so long as you were all right." The reassuring pat to her shoulder was the only form of comfort she needed in that moment and she reveled in it. "Besides, from what I saw it was mostly just a few singed pieces of fabric and smoke damage, not to mention that havoc the sprinklers caused."

Ahsoka failed to hold back her smile. "Yeah well, I still kinda blame you for it. You brought the hot plate in."

"Then you need to start asking for better gifts." Anakin chuckled, taking a few steps to lean against his battered starfighter, keeping his gaze on his Padawan who was following his with her eyes and chewing at her lip while she thought of a decent inquiry.

"So you mean I can actually ask you for a ticket out of here?" Her head tilted to the side just so while she spoke, as was an unconscious habit of hers. Her Master grinned.

"I can do you one better. How's field work sound?" There was some satisfaction and a mixture of joy that came with watching a smirk fully spread across the younger's facial features.

"You mean we actually get to go out and _do_ something? Because hanging around the Temple is so _boring_. I mean yeah there's history and people and all, but you learn all about that as a youngling." Ahsoka paused momentarily and there was a shift in her attitude. "What, when you say 'field work,' do you mean fighting or actual…work?"

"That depends," He responded with a fairly mild-mannered tone. "Do you consider hunting for droids work or just some boring, menial task?" Anakin paused momentarily. "Even though we're not really sure there are droids there, but we're been sent out ahead of time with a squadron of clones to scout out the area."

The Togruta shrugged with an 'eh.' "Anything sounds better than trying to screw your fighter's wing back on, so I'm in."

Skywalker's grin was lopsided. "I thought you said you were buffering it?" He gave his head a quick shake. "But whatever, you still have some time to finish up whatever you want to do and to get your stuff together. We're leaving at midday tomorrow."

"We have that long?" Ahsoka's expression wasn't so much a scowl as it was thoughtful. "Usually the Council only gives us short notice and were sent out in a couple of hours, why the advanced notice?"

Anakin allowed his scarred eyebrow to rise. "Actually, the Council tends to give out advanced notices all the time. I just forget to tell you about them until an hour or so before we leave. Besides, you tend to not come to most of their meetings anyway, although being summoned to them is something else." He raked his gloved hand through his hair and then brought it back to trail down the side of his face, trying not to think of how tired he truly was.

"If anything there's been a lull in activity by the Separatists and you and I both know that the Jedi aren't going to be the ones to make the first move."

Ahsoka nodded numbly, absently whipping her soiled hands on her leggings and was then abruptly all business.

"Where are we headed to then?"

It was more an indifferent mask than it was a scornful one on Anakin's part as he let the '_tooine_' half of the planet's title roll off his tongue. If Ahsoka caught this, she didn't say anything.

"What's on Dantooine?" She questioned after her Master began to stroll away, his mind elsewhere—namely on the wife he was looking to get back to, considering the Senate had taken a rather unexpected recess for the day as a result of the still wounded prides that had resulted in yesterday's session regarding even more taxes and bills and funding and other miscellaneous things he didn't really care for.

"Trees, water, a few people maybe, and hopefully a couple of droids or at least a base so that this attempt isn't all for nothing." He said over his shoulder from where he stood a few mere meters away. Anakin watched his Padawan's expression fluctuate silently. He chuckled. "So basically we'll just call this a party in the middle of nowhere!"

She grinned, pleased more so with the idea of actually finding something to _do_ than with the little Dantooine seemed to offer. "Sounds good."

"Better than nothing." Anakin shrugged. "I'll see you around, all right Snips? There're a couple of things I have to take care of."

Tano nodded again and waved her farewell, pressing her back against the starfighter again to watch her Master saunter off. She was still gnawing at her lip at the rather bothersome inkling in the back of her mind when R2-D2 wheeled himself over, giving a whir of greeting before he elicited a rather depressed tweet.

Ahsoka brushed her palm over the dome of his cylindrical body in an anxious state of mind.

"I know, Artoo. I worry about him too sometimes."

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><p>Obi-Wan Kenobi remained where he stood rooted to the spot, indifferently watching speeders dart back and forth and into realms unknown on Coruscant, his hand curled habitually around his well-trimmed beard. His frown carved lines into the curvatures of his visage and he tried not to look too shocked at the notion that maybe Anakin shouldn't being going on this next mission.<p>

Obi-Wan had never dealt well with hunches, and he was sure Anakin wasn't going to be easily persuaded on the matter either.

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><p>Padmé heard Anakin before she felt him. Her breath exited her lungs in an almost soundless manner as her husband wrapped his arms around her waist and hoisted her into the air and twirled her, successfully disrupting her view off of the veranda.<p>

"Ani!" She exclaimed the moment he set her down when he realized she probably couldn't speak while whirling around in his grasp. Padmé twisted in his arms to wrap her around her husband's neck, being sure to replace that look of worry that had been plaguing her since that morning with a smile reserved solely for him. "I thought you were with Obi-Wan?"

"I told him things weren't working out between us and that it was over." He said, nuzzled his nose into her hair with a grin. Anakin pulled away only to lean forward again and plant a kiss to what appeared to have been his wife's all too eager lips. "Did you miss me?"

"Hmm," Padmé hummed against his lips with a grin before he pulled back again to hear her answer. "It's becoming a bit difficult to miss you when you're constantly here all the time." She dropped one hand down to Anakin's chest to loop her other arm further around his neck as to bring him just a bit closer to her. "Not that I mind."

Anakin's smirk mirrored Padmé's.

"I can go hide in the other room for a few minutes if you'd like."

"No, I think I much prefer you right here." She swiftly kissed to tip of his nose. "This way you're much more accessible and not so far away."

"I'm glad there's something we can agree on." One of his hands trailed up to the small of her back, almost holding her flush against him as he kissed her again. It wasn't until there were both surfacing for air that Padmé realized how tired she was as per the lack of sleep she'd gotten the night before. That nightmare of hers hadn't helped matters any.

Anakin had brought them both over to one of the nearby couches and kept his arm protectively around his wife as she settled against him, curling into his side. His smiled softly to himself before placing his cheek across the top of her head, finding solace in her even breathing. Their current inability to share anything about Padmé's dream from the previous night was still eating away at both of them, but neither was privy to interrupt their few peaceful moments together.

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><p>For the most part, Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn't sure what he was seeing. At first there was nothing but dry, acrid air and the smell of something <em>burning<em> that told him it was his subconscious coming to life. He paused and then took a few tentative steps forward, his feet shifting through sands and it wasn't until he glanced down to watch his footfalls that he noticed droplets of something he was sure wasn't supposed to be there.

His breath caught and he struggled with his gag reflex at coming upon the site of the source of the smell. The figure lying prone on the desert sands had very little—if any—distinguishable features left on its body, and Obi-Wan would have assumed it was already dead had it not been for the slow moan escaping through what remained of its lips. As he approached it he noted the granules caked with blood and then he stumbled upon the gaze of two eyes that burned with an unholy blue.

The agonized look on what remained of Anakin's face mentally scarred Obi-Wan nearly as much as him screaming,

"_Help me!_"


	4. Chapter III

_"To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none." -Sir Francis Bacon, Essays (1625) "Of Seditions and Troubles"_

**A/N: **Woo Chapter Three! And to think I had no idea it would get this far. Fun fact: I think these chapters are getting longer as I write them, or eight pages has been my quota. Honestly, I don't even realize how long they are until I upload them. Chapter One was the shortest, and that was six.  
>I apologize that there's not too much going on in this chapter action wise, but there's some more development and divulgence of secrets and a lot of stuff to do with food.<br>I think I must have been hungry when I wrote this. That, or I just wanted to include the notion that they actually eat meals too. They are human, after all. (So four out of five. Okay.)  
>All of the characters in this chapter are real characters too! Hermione (I felt like I was supposed to be writing a Harry PotterStar Wars crossover at one point) is the waitress you see in the background in the Dex's Diner scene of _Attack of the Clones_, as is FLO.  
>Wookieepedia is like a god. It tells me all these things I didn't know and it's helping me keep my facts straight. Dractuvian cave slugs and fleek eels are real in the Star Wars 'verse! So...yeah, you're welcome.<p>

Seeing as this note about appears to be me more or less trying to explain myself, let's skip that now and get on with the story.  
>Action (meaning <em>at least<em> one EXPLOSION) ought to come in the next chapter or so.  
>Until then, there's this.<p>

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><p><strong>Chapter III<strong> - Also Known As 'If I Wanted Your Help, I'd Ask For It'

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><p>Obi-Wan Kenobi was snapped out of his daze due to the insistent blaring of the speeder zipping past him. He stumbled backward for a moment on the ramp way, chancing a quick glance over the side to see how close he'd just come to plummeting down into the underbelly of Coruscant had it not been for the railing lining the edge that was skimming the edge of his cloak. He frowned up at the small vehicle weaving its way through traffic, quite bothered by the way it had nearly cleaved his head off in a blatant disregard for the traffic laws and general rule of thumb that pertained to <em>not<em> hitting pedestrians.

The blue eyes stared back at him as he blinked to get his bearings back.

Master Kenobi was not one to carry that somber expression with him—that was Anakin's duty for all those moments when he wasn't having his oddly upbeat moments, devouring food or passed out from exhaustion—and yet he found such a one splayed across his features as he continued on his trek of finding something to do now that Anakin had wandered off into the heart of the capital.

Obi-Wan didn't frown; his mouth just twitched at a downward angle.

An inexplicable shiver shot down the back of his spine despite the rather humid atmosphere encircling him and the band of civilians around him and his mind wandered back the gaze he could still feel aimed at him, as if intent on setting fire to his very soul.

His Adam's Apple bobbed as he swallowed against the thought, tempted to persuade himself that it more a hallucination than a dream because Jedi didn't _dream_ and last he'd seen Anakin he'd been perfectly intact, if not a bit morose about venturing off to Dantooine the next day.

All disquieting thoughts aside Obi-Wan set a path for Dex's Diner, intend on devouring a meal in a fashion that would make Anakin proud and determining that he would talk to the man later if the opportunity arose.

Besides, it wasn't as if Anakin was going anywhere in the near future, let alone doing something he deemed mildly important.

* * *

><p>Anakin had earned himself a playful jab in the ribs and was ducking another blow from Padmé while he ignored that strange tingling sensation in the back of his mind that more or less signified a tug in the Force aimed in his general direction.<p>

When Padmé launched herself at him with a bubbly laugh and looped her arms around his waist however, he figured that slight disturbance could be dealt with later or at the very least by someone else.

Flopping back on the couch, Anakin encircled his arms around his wife, letting his head bounce against the cushions and simply grinned up at his wife. It only grew as his wife's smile mirrored his own, her curls gently lashing against the sides of his face. She tilted her head just enough to send a few more raging emotions thundering through his system before she spoke through the relative silence.

"So we have all day, do we?"

He chuckled at Padmé's inquiry, trailing his hands down her sides as something flashed through her eyes at the sensation.

"Unless of course you'd prefer I leave, Padmé. But I have to say that hurts," Anakin picked his head up off the cushion to bring his face only a few short inches from hers, glancing at her with partly lidded eyes and trying not to look too smug over her stilled breathing. "That hurts me deeply."

"Keep talking and we'll see what else _hurts_ you deeply."

"Aggressive negotiations sans the lightsaber, eh?"

"Can it, Skywalker."

It honestly wasn't much of a chuckle on his part, seeing as his attention was soon elsewhere from the moment his wife's mouth met his.

* * *

><p>Padmé <em>really<em> hadn't meant to laugh the moment Anakin landed on the floor with a disgraceful thump for the second time that day. He cursed lightly before rolling over onto to his back to glance up at the woman currently peering over the edge of the settee.

"Gravity has yet to give me my breathing room today. Do you find something funny in my pain?" He quipped with one eye shut, his ego more so bruised than anything. There was some congestion in his throat from keeping his snicker at himself silent.

"Only because you put so much humor into it." She replied, trailing a hand down from where she loomed above him to let it graze against his arm. Padmé was rewarded with the infamous lop-sided grin he never failed to gift her with.

"Next time I get shot I'll remember to pull a face or make some snide remark, just for you." His jest must not have had the desired result from the way her expression hardened, but he hardly let that sway him.

"Don't talk like that, Anakin." Said man propped himself up onto his elbows as she spoke, doing his best to leave his under tunic open a bit more to expose another inch of his chest and judging from the way her eyes kept darting away from his face his nonverbal attack was succeeding.

"I never meant a word of it, love." Anakin shot up from where he sat on the floor to plant a quick kiss to his wife's fairly startled lips, pulling away to smirk again. "You know I never get _shot_."

His ill-fated attempts to smooth over his quick joke were floundering around him and he did his best not to grimace. He reached for her hand with his flesh one, wrapping the calloused fingers around it while he used his mechanical appendage to prop himself back up onto the divan.

Padmé gave a quick slap to Anakin's chest, not quite hitting him as hard as she very well could have. "Sometimes you're unbelievable."

He smirked again, but less out of jest this time. "And you wouldn't have it any other way."

"Hmm, I think we're still considering that one." Padmé smiled back at him, looping her free arm around his neck. There was silence for the next few moments, save for the rustle of fabric as both shifted to hold the other closer.

Padmé pulled away much too soon for Anakin's liking, and he struggled to withhold a groan. He went to reach for her again, only for her to keep her hands firmly planted on his shoulders.

"Are you hungry at all?" There were very few occasions during which the couple actually got to dine with one another, and Padmé Amidala Skywalker was going to take advantage of every one of them.

It began exceedingly clear, however, that Anakin had quite misinterpreted her question.

"Yes," The darkening in his irises was rewarded with a pointed look and the twitch of an eyebrow before he continued. "Food sounds good too."

In that moment Padmé debated whether she would rather have smacked him or laughed, so instead she chose to do both.

* * *

><p>It wasn't until Obi-Wan was on his second dish that he had absolutely no idea what he'd ordered.<p>

He prodded his fork beneath the discolored lump before him and flipped it onto its side and the struggle to control his gag reflex did well to convey his apparent disgust with it as let out a deflated hiss. Obi-Wan promptly slid his plate to the other side of the small table, focusing his attention elsewhere than the pinkish mush he'd just been about to consume. The hurried gulp of water he forced down his throat did little to wash the idea of the taste from his mouth.

Obi-Wan had his eye on a particularly flamboyant speeder lazing through the skylanes before he felt a hand timidly brush against his sleeve. His head swiveled to locate the source of the contact, finding a blonde-haired woman gazing down at him warily.

"You okay there, Master Jedi?" Hermione Bragwa's light blue eyes held the faintest traces of smile as she reached for one of the Jedi Master's emptier plates, casting a sidelong glance to his forcibly placid expression and then to the dish he'd shoved away. "And here I thought you actually liked these things."

"Dractuvian cave slugs aren't exactly my favorite meal," He responded slowly, the twitch of his hand gesturing for that plate to be taken away as well. "But there are certain occasions during which they can be eaten. Now not being one of them."

Kenobi hardly saw her grin as she nodded and pulled them away.

"I hear ya; never been able to stomach the things myself."

When Obi-Wan failed to respond to her joke in kind, she shifted uncomfortably, chancing a glance back toward the kitchen where Dexter Jettster's hulking frame could be seen. Hermione looked back down to find that the Jedi Master had immersed himself with keeping his gaze steady with the booth across from him in a mock-staring contest.

Unsure of what to do in the situation the woman held onto the dishes, keeping her eyes level with the surface of the worn table she internally debated relinquishing the handful of tips that were awaiting her from various other patrons to sit with the man for a moment or turning tail and going about her business.

Sensing her abrupt discomfort Obi-Wan Kenobi looked up at the woman and tried to give a comforting smile. As it had its desired effect he watched as her expression softened and she opened her mouth to question him, only to be interrupted.

"How's a glass of—"

"Would you care for a glass of Jawa Juice, sir?"

Obi-Wan tried not to look to bemused at the general glare Hermione was aiming at the expressionless mask that composed of WA-7's—or more affectionately known as 'FLO'—face as the single-wheeled service droid more or less squeezed into the space between the human waitress and the seated man in an attempt to block the former from view.

"I'm quite all right, thank you." Kenobi couldn't help but smirk at the brief altercation that ensued.

"Beat it, FLO." Said service droid pivoted around at Hemione's sneer, voice devoid of any and all emotion.

"Perhaps it would be best that you resume your work here, Bragwa." Gears whirred as she shifted herself a few inches back and forth. "Your patrons may begin to, as you say, 'miss you.'"

With a sarcastic 'hmph' the so-called organic waitress tossed some loose hair over her shoulder with her hand, a mischievous twinkle in her eye daring FLO to try the same. It would have been a lie to say that Obi-Wan was not at least mildly amused by this short quarrel.

Having attempted to repeat Hermione's action, FLO tottered for a moment before restoring her balance, casting what could have been considered an annoyed look at the other waitress before moving to roll away and continue about her business, sans any snide remark directed at Bragwa.

With a smirk the remaining woman turned back to Obi-Wan, plates still held firmly in her grasp. "Well, I was going to offer you a glass of Jawa Juice if you wanted one—made only from freshly-squeezed Jawas." She winked. "Then there's some blue milk if you want that." She cocked her head to the side just slightly. "You want anything at all? We've got some cream of fleek eel if you're interested—"

"Leave the man be, Hermione."

The woman twisted around to take in the sight of her looming boss, bumping into the table that Obi-Wan Kenobi was sitting at with a soft smile. Having excused herself from the immediate area, Hermione returned to her work with a light blush, making a beeline for the kitchen to dump off the soiled dishes she'd acquired from Obi-Wan.

"How's it going, old buddy?" Dexter quipped as he comfortably seated himself across from the Jedi Master, his extra limbs folding in order to stay out of harm's way as he further maneuvered himself into the booth. "Last time you were here it was asking about some dart you'd pulled out of a failed hit man's neck. What can I do for you this time?"

Obi-Wan let out a fairly airless chuckle, encircling his hand around the glass still half-filled—or half-emptied, depending on how one wanted to see it—with water before dragging it to his lips.

"I'm here for food this time, actually."

Dexter scratched one of his additional appendages with a throaty snicker. "Cave slugs not to your liking?"

"You've made much better, Dexter." The man replied, keeping his eyes on the Besalisk cook while the other leaned in towards him.

"That's not why you're here though, is it?" His yellow eyes flickered as his gaze darted around the human's face, trying to find some sign as to Obi-Wan's true intentions. The man in question was sure to quickly adopt his placid mask again and give a light-hearted shrug.

"Am I not allowed to venture here in search of food without some higher purpose?" Obi-Wan said with a small grin, referring not to have to divulge his reasons for being at Dex's. While he may have been hungry, he found it had been much simpler to wander into CoCo Town and people watch than to sit in his quarters at the Temple for the next day with nothing but his mind to accompany him.

The cook sniffed, not all insulted. Presently aware that Obi-Wan Kenobi hadn't stopped by looking for an informant Jettster was rapidly considering excusing himself and returning to his post before orders started getting too backed-up. Bringing his rather unpleasantly pensive gaze away from the window once more, Kenobi looked back at his friend, sensing his internal debate.

"If I'm holding you back at all, you may feel free to get back to whatever you were doing." Perhaps Obi-Wan smiled more for himself than for his visitor. "I don't mean to hold you back."

The Besalisk nodded and stood, nearly shoving the table into Obi-Wan's diaphragm as he did so. "You ever need anything though," Dexter gestured a large hand towards the doors through which a dazed Twi'lek was stumbling. "Door's always open." With a smirk and wink he was sure to add, "Even Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is invited inside if need be."

"Thank you, Dex." Obi-Wan chuckled, offering the wave of his hand as his friend departed.

He left a handful of Republic Credits on the table without bothering to count. Hermione would have fainted at the size of the tip had Dexter not told her to leave them in a drawer behind the counter to be returned to Obi-Wan the next time he stopped by.

* * *

><p>By now Ahsoka was sure that death by boredom would have been more excruciating than the Force lightning she'd been reading up on in the Archives. Master Kenobi had yet to be seen by her today, Master Skywalker was off doing whatever it was that he did with his life—if he was going to return drunk and giggling she was <em>not<em> going to be part of that—and there weren't many other people she planned to see. At the same time however, she felt that a visit to Senator Amidala couldn't hurt, as it had been a while since the two had spoken.

Captain Rex was busy cracking his knuckles for no apparent reason when Ahsoka meandered by, popping up behind him to offer a, "Hey."

"Son of a—" The cloned Captain whirled around with his fists at the ready, one edging to his hip for his blaster before he realized it was Ahsoka Tano standing before him with one of her hairless 'brows raised. "Oh, hey kid." He cleared his throat quickly. "Commander."

"Hey, Rex." The young Togruta snickered.

It became exceedingly clear that the girl hadn't planned out any interaction past this, more subconsciously seeking out companionship than anything really. Rex let his gaze wander when she didn't say anything for a few heavy moments, expecting her to drop a bombshell or relieve some weight off of her chest from the way she was repeatedly crossing and uncrossing her arms.

"What brings you here?" He began, attempting some segue into conversation due in part to the fact that he had some things he probably should attend to before they headed out the next day. Rex figured they could wait though, seeing as this Padawan obviously needed someone to talk to, or at the very least give her some form of attention.

Captain Rex was no fool—by nature the Togruta race were not solitary creatures. He'd done his research, if only to kill some time a couple of months ago. Ahsoka's teeth didn't look _that _sharp in his opinion.

She shrugged, letting her gaze wander around the dining hall.

"There wasn't much going on the training salle other than a couple of Younglings running around, and I didn't feel like I was in the best mood to hang around them." Her blue eyes flicked back to his brown ones. "What brings you here?"

The man gestured off to the side with the jerk of his head, turning her attention to a clone—dubbed 'Thing One' by the rest of the squadron, quite fitting seeing as his closest 'brother' was named 'Thing Two'—who had a tray of food held securely in his grasp.

"I don't know about you, but I figured I'd fill up on real food before we headed out tomorrow. Rations and whatever we're stuck with gets on my nerves after a while." Ahsoka smiled, and he grinned at her response.

"Master Skywalker actually hates the food here, but I guess that's because he has no taste."

Rex sniggered at her but was unwilling to make any jabs toward his General, as much as he may have agreed with the other man's student. Rather than leave their conversation dead in the water he offered her some company if she was keen to it, giving her a quick warning to be sure to stray away from whatever that slop was there on the far right. The last thing anyone wanted was a flagship full of men ill because they had no clue what they'd been putting into their bodies.

He tried not to look too unimpressed with the change in her mood as Ahsoka sat down across from him and began simply pushing her food around. The Captain absently started to eat his without really tasting it, trying to hurry the time along before things got too tense for his tastes.

"Uh, Rex?" Tano finally piped up after a few rather excruciating moments, giving up on prying apart the sluggish look fleek eel she glanced back up at the clone working to chew his way through the meat he'd speared onto the end of his fork. He swallowed it with a great deal of effort and thumped his fist against his chest as he coughed it down.

"Yeah?" While part of him knew he shouldn't have so informal with the fledging Jedi, he doubted titles were what she wanted to hear at the moment. He pushed his food aside for the time being, his stomach working to digest what may have been mistaken as food, though in reality it turned out to be some rather poor excuse for bantha steak.

The teenager opened her mouth to speak and then paused midway through forming her first word, her gaze downcast again for the moment.

Rex, not being one overly good with words himself, was also not one to pry.

She folded her arms on the surface in front of her, unconsciously leaning into her own embrace. Ahsoka let out a breath and tried to speak what was on her mind, something she'd uncharacteristically been struggling with as of late. Typically she often spoke before she thought as did Master Skywalker, yet Master Kenobi had been trying to instill the patience in Ahsoka that Anakin had rejected, and she had no desire to become a burden for Rex; using him as a means of venting and frustration.

If he was growing bored in regards to waiting for her to speak, he gave no inclination.

"Have you…" The Togruta shifted in her seat. "Have you ever had a really bad feeling about something, even though you weren't sure what it was? Like there's this weight on your shoulders or something telling you that you need to warn somebody about something, but you don't know what is it?"

Rex was waiting for her to say 'something' again, though he let her words linger in the air between them for a few beats. When he spoke, it was slow and sincere.

"Every day."

Ahsoka almost wanted to smile at his honesty.

"When you're supposed to be leading these men who are practically your brothers out on the battlefield, you're stuck with all of these 'what-ifs' running through your head. They're harder to ignore than you think." Rex rolled his shoulder back as he paused, his gaze flickering to a few of the other clones in search of food. In all honesty he wasn't sure where all of this was coming from, he'd just felt it necessary to find something to say. "But sometimes there's a difference between what we know and what we feel, and it's up to you to decide what it is."

Given her blank stare, the man was afraid he'd lost her somewhere after 'every day.' "You get what I'm saying?"

Nodding with the faintest hint of a grin from her, Rex was encouraged to delve further into his spiel, leaving Ahsoka to drag her food back toward herself, all the while internally debating whether or not she should have voiced her concerns to Anakin when she'd had the chance.

* * *

><p>"Damn, remind me to be home more often. This stuff is good."<p>

Padmé let out her own little bubble of mirth as she watched her husband eat, partly in awe that something as simple as a home-cooked meal could bring about some form of joy in his life.

Then again, the home-cooked meals he got were few and far in between.

She frowned at the revelation, dreading when he would next approach her with the notion that they should come out with their marriage, neither overly fond of having kept theirs a secret for such a length of time. Part of her did have to admit that she was quite looking forward to the day she could go to Naboo and bring Anakin along, finally able to rightfully introduce him into her family as her husband.

"Are you all right, Padmé?" Having noticed her change in expression Anakin had paused in devouring everything on his plate, more concerned for her well-being than with the fact that whatever this was in front of him it was really _kriffing_ good.

"I bit my tongue," Padmé responded, a blush dusting itself across her face at having been caught scowling at her lunch, but also served as a decent cover as to what would have been her embarrassment at having bitten her tongue.

"From trying not to laugh at me, I take it?" The corner of his lip rose as he sat up straighter in his chair, keeping his eyes on his wife who didn't appear overly keen at being under his gaze.

"Can you think of any other reason?" She quipped, choosing to drown their rest of their conversation in her glass, bringing an abrupt end to the jokes. Anakin tilted his head to the side slightly, but said nothing else for the time being.

Passing the rest of the meal in relative silence save the scraping of utensils and the occasional appreciative word, Padmé found her mind wandering back to the one topic she'd been dreading the entire day thus far.

"I can understand keeping our secret from the Republic, but how long is it going to be before we can trust one another?" Anakin had sent Padmé's hopes of skirting the subject shattering around her, his stance and expression making it dreadfully clear that no affectionate words or caresses would get her out of this one.

Turning her back to him to set their lunch dishes on the counter, Padmé felt a grimace pass over her features, none too thrilled with the repeated notion that Anakin was not one to give up without a fight, her hidden surname being a prime example. She was also not fond of the way he was pushing her to talk about something that was obviously bothering her, but all the same she did feel some drive to get it off her chest, despite how greatly she was looking to avoid it. In all honesty the last person Padmé wanted to talk to about her nightmare was Anakin.

She felt his arms wrap around her waist as her shoulders sagged, glad not for the first time that day that he couldn't see her face. Rather than respond Padmé kept her mouth shut, choosing instead to lean back into her husband's embrace. His lips passed against the corner of her jaw, working to coax an answer out of her as she closed her eyes at the onslaught of the images of him lying in the sand and when he left would he be all right, would he be safe, would he come home alive—

"I don't really want to talk about, Ani." Padmé whispered into the hair of the man whose chin was resting on her shoulder in a way that was nowhere near uncomfortable.

"Mmm," His vocal chords vibrated against her shoulder blade and she felt like a hypocrite.

_Padmé_ was the one to tell _Anakin _to voice his thoughts and open up, _Padmé_ was the one that told _Anakin_ not to keep everything bottled up inside and yet here was _Padmé_ too afraid to admit that she was afraid of her subconscious because it had felt much too real for her liking.

Padmé twisted in her husband's arms for the second time that day, pulling away just slightly so that his hands rested on her hips and so she could level her gaze with his.

It was then that Anakin became fully aware of the pain this dream had caused his wife and the power it still had from the way she felt herself burn with shame—whether it was more over the fact that she was about to discuss a _dream_ or due to the way she'd believed it she wasn't sure.

Anakin brought his hand up to brush some loose hair out her face in an attempt to comfort the troubled woman he'd willingly lay his life on the line for.

He maintained his grip on her as she struggled to speak, her chin ducking into her chest a few times as she blinked rapidly, only serving to worry her husband further. Anakin held her a bit closer to him, trying in his own way to deduce what was causing Padmé so much distress and _why_.

It isn't until he whispered the words _I love you_ that she started to cry.


	5. Chapter IV

_"To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none." -Sir Francis Bacon, Essays (1625) "Of Seditions and Troubles"_

**A/N: **Okay so, let me get this out first: I lied. There is no explosion here, I'm sorry. I actually would have liked to put one in, but once I got to writing this there was just no room for it. To have squeezed it in the chapter would have been rushed and a great deal of it glossed over -not that you would have minded, I'm sure, seeing as this may seem like a slow chapter. That said, they actually _leave_ in the next chapter and then that's when all the action starts. That should be interesting to write, seeing as my experience with that is almost little to none. Nonetheless!  
>Humor and angst mixed together! Oh gods what have I done!<p>

Before you moan and groan about this being like a filler chapter, however, let me just say that some things do happen! And by 'things happen' I mean there's some more Anakin/Padmé drama that I'm _sure_ some of you at least have been looking for since that whole "What're you not telling me" bit way back when.  
>Uh! There's also a few hints in this story as to where it's headed, so before you get all bothered by the notion that it may have already been done before, please just keep in mind that no. No, I don't think it has. You'll soon find out what I mean.<p>

Oh! And I'm also looking for some names for a few clones. If any of you feel like dropping a few suggestions that may very well be used in the next few chapters, drop them in a review! They'd be greatly appreciated; I just need three.

I'm not a huge fan of the last line, but I wanted some sort of cliffhanger and something to tie into the rest of the story. That's what I've got for now.  
>Chapter V begins the real explosions. And by real explosions, I mean <em>real explosions.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter IV<strong> - Also Known As 'If You Don't Think About It As Much, It'll Hurt Less'

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano wasn't sure how else to describe the way she felt at the moment other than tired, to put it simply. Pacing had never been a preferred leisure activity of hers, but some form of movement was much better than simply staying put with nothing else to do, in her eyes. Turning her attention back to the bolo-ball tournament the rest of the clone squadron was glued to, she flopped lifelessly into a nearby chair and instantly regretted it in the moment she realized there was absolutely no padding on it whatsoever.<p>

With her tailbone screaming at her Ahsoka hissed and adjusted herself, her dignity bruised more so than her rear at the sidelong glance Rex regarded her with. Refusing to admit this as a sign of defeat she rose and then promptly re-situated herself gently on the metallic chair.

"You wouldn't be the first one to do that, kid." The Captain muttered in her general direction as he leaned toward her, letting his gaze wander around the room for a moment. "I'd say everyone here's done it at least five times in the past week. You'd think someone would've figured it out by now."

"Even you?" Ahsoka quipped with that smirk of hers that ought to have been trademarked.

Rex blinked for a moment while greeting her question with a grin of his own. "Maybe…once or twice. Nothing too major."

The Padawan let that settle for a bit while the other clones cheered over a goal—or whatever it was called, she hadn't paid all that much attention to the games in the past, even as Anakin went on about some team—having been made before speaking to the man next to her once more. He obviously wasn't too thrilled with the next thing she had to say, but it was his fault after all—he'd been the one to initiate conversation.

"You missed the chair, didn't you?"

He grimaced but gave no other indication of being otherwise perturbed by her inquiry. If anything, he seemed to encourage it, seeing as it took her mind off of whatever had been troubling her at lunch earlier when her gaze had been downcast and she'd been asking him questions he himself had been tousling with.

"If you're full of Corellian ale and there're no lights on then the floor doesn't seem like a bad place to sit." As he spoke Rex was becoming increasingly curious as to why he was divulging all of this quite embarrassing information to this girl and also as to why he felt the need to do so. Out of character for him he was speaking rather informally, but perhaps it may have very well been due to the feeling Ahsoka needed something amusing in her day that drove him to. "Not that I would recommend it, Commander."

At the use of the title the Padawan's shoulders and expression visibly slumped, reminded of who she was and the gnawing sense at the back of her mind that she'd been desperately working to ignore for that past two hours. That said, she merely nodded and tore her gaze away from him and back to a few of the men jeering one another because after that last goal so-and-so owed so-and-so a couple drinks worth of credits.

"I'll keep that in mind."

There was silence on both ends for awhile, though it wasn't weighty by any means and Ahsoka truly didn't mind it. It gave her time to let her mind wander, curious as to the events of the next day and just what they'd find on Dantooine or, as Anakin liked to refer to it as, the 'Party in the Middle of Nowhere,' which really wasn't that much of a stretch seeing as it appeared to be quite a dull planet from what little Ahsoka had read up on it. While she'd rather not have to destroy a couple of homesteads in doing so, blasting some tinnies was something she definitely needed right now because being on leave was _boring_ with a capital 'B' and emphasis on the 'oring.'

So boring in fact that she'd been in the process of covering up her mouth with her hand to stifle a yawn when Captain Rex cut in to Ahsoka's little trip through her mind.

"With respect, Commander," He began, the facial muscle above his eyebrow twitching. "Do you mind if I ask why you aren't with General Skywalker?"

_Because Anakin's probably lost in the middle of the capital somewhere and I'm way too tired to look for him so he's going to have to find his own way home whether he likes it or not. He'll probably crawl in through the door any moment because he's looking for someone to help him clean up the mess he made with some explosion._

"He said he had some things to take care of and I thought I'd hang out with you guys before we left tomorrow." Was all she said. Really, the last thing Rex needed to hear was how Ahsoka was pretty sure Anakin was getting himself into trouble in some way or another. The man nodded with the corner of his mouth pulled up.

"I'll get a search party together in case he gets lost."

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker was in fact lost, though perhaps more so emotionally than physically. Rather than assert himself and take charge he was instead floundering as he watched his wife fall to pieces before him.<p>

While emotional in her own right, Padmé Amidala had a tendency to play her cards close to her chest, and Anakin failed to recall a time in which he'd actually _seen_ his wife cry more than the few tears that accompanied their wedding. As a matter of fact, he was pretty sure she'd seen _him_ cry much more often and he hardly had in the past two years.

"Padmé…" He murmured, reaching for his wife after she'd pulled away from him, her hands cupped over her mouth and refusing to meet his gaze. A few of those dreaded worst-case-scenarios quickly ran through his head, only adding to his agitation at there clearly being something Padmé wasn't telling him. "Padmé what is it? What's wrong?"

The man she loved yes, the most adept with his word choice, not so much.

It took a few moments for her to actually let him touch her, though she kept her eyes closed and averted, allowing her tears to trace their way down her interlaced fingers. Rather than answer his broken inquiries she instead chose to bury her face in his chest, feeding his tunic the tears she'd been holding back for the duration of the day and trying to reassure herself in the fact that her husband was _alive_ and tightening his grip as he embraced her.

The couple remained in their locked stances for a time, Anakin dragging one hand up Padmé's back to rest against her head, knotting his fingers in her hair as he held her. The distress he felt hardly matched her own as she warred with herself, struggling to keep her tears at bay and salvage the remainder of what time they had left together.

She felt a tremor in Anakin chest before she realized he was humming—something his mother had done for him all those years ago to placate him after those rather terrible nightmares. Finding some comfort in the gentle hum Padmé pressed her face further into his many layers, trying to get closer to the sound. If it bothered Anakin—which it didn't—he didn't make any indication.

"I'm sorry," Padmé whispered through the broken silence.

"What?" The Jedi Knight was tempted to pull back and simply stare at his wife in incredulity just to be sure he'd heard her correctly. She made no motion to move away from his embrace, instead murmuring into the folds of coarse wool again.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry; I shouldn't…" She began muttering into his chest in an attempt to cease the sniffling sound she was emanating. The pounding of his heart could be felt against her cheek as she realized he'd presumably assumed the worst and she hardly had the heart to tell him otherwise. "I'm sorry…"

Anakin hardly fought with her when she pulled away, watching as the red of her eyes marred her features, and he himself remaining eerily quiet as she fought to control her breath.

He was warring with his own emotions, his resolve finally crumbling as she let out a strangled gasp, pressing her hands firmly to her face and backing into the counter, if only to increase the space between them. The fact that she didn't seem to want him there cut into him.

"Padmé, what is it?" The emotional Jedi had to remind himself that this wasn't some typical interrogation—this was his wife: no mind trick, threats or other dirty tricks of the like were allowed in this situation. He took a step toward her, causing her to flinch away from the outstretched hand he quickly retracted.

"Please…I can't…" Padmé took a breath, pulling her hands away from her face to do away with the echo, all the while keeping her gaze averted from her husband. "I can't look at you…"

Anakin paused mid-step; he tried and failed not too look to insulted, wincing at her words. Padmé gasped and her gaze flickered to his face as it turned away. He leveled his own gaze with the hem of her dress when she spoke again.

"No, no Anakin no…" Just then realizing where his train of thought was thusly headed she quickly dabbed at her eyes with her hands and shuffled toward him, stumbling over her own feet as went. "I didn't mean it like that, I just…"

As she broke into another rambling tirade Anakin quickly silenced her, pulling away from their kiss to take in her flushed and tear stained face. He gently reached up to cup her chin in his hand before letting it trail over to the side of her face, somewhere in the back of his mind reveling in the feel of her skin against his rather than through crude leather and metal.

"Padmé, when are you actually going to tell me what's bothering you?" He spoke softly, letting his eyes search her face for some answer, using his other hand to brush away the hair that had stuck itself to her damp cheek.

"This morning," She began, licking her dry lips and trying to form words while avoiding another breakdown. "When you…" Padmé glanced away and then back in an attempt to steel her resolve. "You asked about my dream and I—"

She pulled a face as she abruptly cut herself off.

"Oh, this sounds so stupid now."

Anakin slowly shook his hand in silence, waiting for her to continue. She stared at him for a few heartbeats, urging _him_ to speak.

"No, love. If something like that has gotten you so worked up I don't see how it's, in your words, 'stupid.'"

"You're mocking me." Padmé attempted to smile, only for it to falter.

"Might I ask why it's getting under your skin so much?" She'd found that Anakin tended to adopt a certain when speaking of the complications in their relationship—ranging from the outright violation of the Jedi code to who's turn it was to do the dishes—and each time she'd found reason to bring out her Senatorial voice. This time, however, it was not as graceful as she would have liked.

"Because now every time I see you now I just think about what I saw." Padmé swallowed, working up the nerve to not only to finish her story but to suppress the mental image that was her husband as he lay dying in the sand. "I just…Last night, or this morning rather, when I told you it was just some silly dream bothering me…"

She stopped completely, frowning at herself at the way she sounded and forced herself to form an articulate and complete sentence without the phrase 'I just.'

Anakin waited patiently, trying to not let this get under _his_ skin.

"I watched you die, Anakin." Padmé might as well have punched him with all of the force her words had. "I watched you die and I couldn't do anything." She pulled her hands away from where she'd been clutching them together to grasp his tunic, as if to remind herself that Anakin Skywalker was standing before her and very much _alive_.

"I know I shouldn't let it bother me because it was just some dream and you're right here with me, and yet it still does. I don't even know why." She took a breath, consciously noting that this one was quite a bit shakier than the last. Padmé leaned into his chest, finding it warm and comforting in a way only she knew.

"Please, I don't want to see it anymore."

His arms tightened around her, and he simply held her, pressing his nose into her crown with that grim determination of his.

"Never."

* * *

><p>Obi-Wan Kenobi had fallen asleep standing up and to be honest, Ahsoka found this quite amusing. Commander Cody had glanced over at her briefly, followed her gaze, stared at his General for a moment and then simply shrugged as if this was an everyday occurrence. Ahsoka gave the Jedi Master a few more moments of peace before contemplating jabbing her finger into his side or violently shaking him to get his attention. Late nights full of caffa and nothing to do made for some great sibling bonding between Ahsoka and Anakin, being only six years apart.<p>

Instead, she meekly settled for the gentle,

"Master Kenobi?"

She hadn't expected his eyes to snap open so violently, staring intently at her while the rest of him tried to get his bearings back. Emanating a soft sound from the back of her throat she stepped back and adopted an innocent mask, reminding herself that it would be quite rude to laugh at Obi-Wan for his odd sleeping habits.

"Yes, Ahsoka?" He held back a yawn and kept his voice level, appearing to be neither distressed nor irritated. The girl in question held her tongue for a moment, suddenly feeling guilt for having disrupted the older man.

"You fell asleep," She said, glancing up and him and straightening her spine to her full height. "You were wavering and I thought I'd wake you before you hit the floor."

Obi-Wan absorbed this information and then promptly chuckled.

"Simple mediation, young one." He stated, adding in the term of endearment he'd once granted Anakin at Ahsoka's age. "Although I do appreciate your concern nonetheless."

The Togruta smiled. "Anakin would have let you fall over, wouldn't he?"

"Among other things." Kenobi sniffed once, adjusting his cloak around his shoulders. When she didn't respond to his just he glanced away from the clones milling about and down at her, finding her gaze to be out of focus and generally saddened in nature. "I take it something is troubling you?"

Ahsoka visibly jerked and her attention snapped back to him, feeling another round of embarrassment at having been caught spacing out.

"I was just thinking, Master." Once upon a time Anakin had taught her to sly trick of not lying exactly, but not telling the whole truth either. In all honesty she _had_ been thinking, but about _what_ she didn't know how to verbalize. Seeing as how Obi-Wan wasn't going to be so easily swayed by her failed attempt at a casual manner, she audibly sighed and let her shoulders fall just a touch. "You ever have one of those bad feelings?"

For the most part, Ahsoka should have known it was a question that already had an answer, seeing as one of Obi-Wan Kenobi's trademark quotes—when it wasn't a simple "Hello there"—included a troubled "_I have a bad feeling about this_" typically said within Anakin's presence because it was typically the latter's fault.

"Is it in regards to tomorrow?" At that Ahsoka knew this wasn't some simple everyday conversation or one of those condescending tones some adults adopted when speaking to a young child—this was Obi-Wan's genuine curiosity, and from that she could tell something had been gnawing at him as well.

"I was going to say I think it was just me being me," Ahsoka said. "But I have a feeling something's bothering you too."

He nodded and waited for her to continue.

"I guess to some extent it's nothing big, but it's still been bugging me since this morning. At first I thought it was just dread at having to go answer some more questions about the hot plate—which was Anakin's idea, not mine—but even after that I still felt it." Their conversation paused as a few men behind her suddenly cheered at the latest revelation in the game. As far as she knew, it would be over soon anyway. "I haven't had a vision or anything and it's not like I think we're all going to die, but I still feel that _something_'s going to happen."

Obi-Wan contemplated this for a bit, wrapping his fingers through his beard.

"I've been feeling the same thing all day…" He murmured, more to himself than anything. Ahsoka's head perked up a bit at this, mostly relieved in the idea that she wasn't alone there and quickly told him so, to which he only nodded numbly.

"So, um…" She stopped again as another cheer erupted, suddenly conscious of the notion that maybe in the middle of the rec. hall wasn't the best place to be having this conversation. She really couldn't think of anywhere else to go though, seeing as her shared quarters, while livable now, seeing as nothing too major had happened, would be empty and she didn't really feel up to hanging around younglings right then with her rather dour mood.

"Master Kenobi, what are we going to do?"

The bearded Jedi glanced at the girl tilting her head slightly to the side in search of answers, not overly fond of the idea of things out of her control and against her liking.

Not for the first time that day, Obi-Wan didn't think he had any.

* * *

><p>Commander Cody had to convince himself not to punch Rex in the head to get his attention, seeing as he'd been holding a rather one-sided conversation for the past five minutes.<p>

"What?" The man ground out, clearing his throat after his abrupt inquiry, jerking to head to look at what ought to have been his reflection.

Cody tried not to chuckle and instead let the corner of his mouth rise in part of a grin. "I asked you where you thought your General was and your thoughts on tomorrow. I've been having a very riveting conversation with your ear."

Rex's grin looked more like a grimace, and Cody took this as an invitation to continue speaking, shifting where he sat and grabbing a rag to polish his helmet further for lack of anything else to do from the time being.

"Tomorrow's going to be a long day, isn't it?"

The cloned Captain turned his own helmet over in his hands, absently tracing his thumb against a small smudge of dirt on the cheek and admiring his own painted handiwork.

"You have no idea."

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano plopped herself down on her bed, shoving random clothing and other miscellaneous objects to the floor in doing so. As tired as she was, she felt it was more mental exhaustion than anything, having also been emotional drained after the tirade she'd launched into with Obi-Wan, expressing her concerns for the next day and her annoyance with the way her emotions had been messing with.<p>

Repeating the '_there is no emotion, there is peace_' mantra in her head she leaned back against her pillow, turning it to level her gaze with the small scorch mark scalded onto the floor from where Anakin had left it.

Anakin—she wondered where he was right then. Not knowing where he was was one thing, letting it bother her was another. She would admit to feeling some form of over protectiveness when it came to the older man, but it was little more than a bond akin to that of siblings or her general nature.

Feeling disheartened when she glanced over to his side of the room to find it void of his presence she let out a sigh and curled her arms around her pillow, hugging it to her face while she studied the blanket and other mish mash of objects tossed about.

He hadn't always been the tidiest person, and leave it to him to leave his things lying everywhere whilst sharing quarters with a girl who tended to like the idea of cleaning up after herself.

The man had a tendency to wander off when they were on leave on Coruscant, whether it be during the day or the middle of the night, and truthfully it hadn't bothered her much until that very moment.

She swallowed past a lump that she hadn't realized had formed in her throat, turning onto her side and wrapping her blanket around herself, suddenly cold in the rather tepid air of her room.

Ahsoka stared vacantly at the empty bed opposite her, hoping that it would be the last time she'd have to confine herself to their room alone.

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala curled into her husband's side with a contented sigh, pressing her nose into his chest as she kissed it goodnight. While Anakin had returned in kind with his own lips pressed against the side of her neck he combated the unsettling feeling pooling in the pit of his stomach. In that moment he chose to ignore it, deeming it simply a reaction to their rather passive dinner, though Padmé had made it a point to sit closer to him and rest her head against his shoulder as she picked at her food.<p>

Anakin pulled away slightly to nestle into his side of the bed, settling himself comfortably as his wife positioned herself against his side.

He'd resorted to staring at the ceiling for the past ten standard minutes, repeating the earlier scene in the kitchen, unconsciously glancing down at Padmé as she began to doze off if only to be sure she wasn't fighting to get away from him again or breaking down into another round of sobs.

Something didn't feel right and Anakin didn't like it.

That said, he pushed aside all unsettling thoughts for the time being, choosing instead to hold Padmé closer to him as they curled around one another and he tried not to think too much about the notion that he honestly had no idea when he would return.

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker dreamt of little more than a cave of red and a man in black with a woman screaming his name.<p>

He wanted to ask for help but didn't know the words.

_"I see what you are and you are _mine_."_


	6. Chapter V

_"To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none." -Sir Francis Bacon, Essays (1625) "Of Seditions and Troubles"_

**A/N: **All right let's do this thing. Chapter 5, now we officially get the ball rolling. And while I would have prefered it didn't take me this long to finally get us where we are, to some extent I'm kind of glad it did. I was able to try to establish the relationships I wanted you to see and prove that just about everyone had a bad feeling about _something. _(Any thoughts as to what it is? I'm curious, and I've dropped a few hints thus far. The last chapter actually had quite a few, as does this one, to some regard.)  
>That, and I need to chock it as full of Anidala as I can before...Well, you'll see.<p>

As much as I sort of like the end to this chapter, I also sort of prefer what the end would have been had I cut it at the last break. Then again, I needed some sort of cliffhanger and way to tie it all back together.

REAL EXPLOSION(S). YES.

Clone Names! Because some were actually offered:  
>Red, Wench: trinity6diversia<br>Trigger: SWBloodwolf

All right, read, hunt a zombie, enjoy, herd some nerfs, and review! I'd like to know what you all _really _think.

Before I leave you all to it. . .Dear _**FishyIcon**_, do tell me because I'm curious, but I'm wondering if there's something in here that you'll recognize, and I'm hoping you do. (The only hint I'll give you: _"I didn't want you to worry..." ;)_)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter V<strong> - Also Known As 'It's Nothing Personal, I Just Really Don't Want to Talk About It'

* * *

><p>Captain Rex (also classified as CC-7567, thank the Kaminoans) absently drummed his fingers on his helmet and quietly observed the preparations of Torrent Company. Very few were thrilled with the idea of going to Dantooine—an Outer Rim planet where nothing of interest happened—but it could unanimously be agreed upon that it was much better than being on leave and stuck on Coruscant. The Jedi Temple was an unsettling place for a clone, let alone an outsider, as its primary inhabitants had initially wanted little to do with their creation.<p>

_Water under the bridge_, Rex would have thought had that water not run sour and the bridge unstable.

It wasn't a dislike or lack of respect for the Jedi, as Rex promptly gave it where he saw fit, but rather the gap between the two that only few had dared cross—Skywalker being one of them, dragging his Padawan along. Kenobi was wavering on the edge, too much of a type-cast Jedi to do much else.

First and foremost a clone was a soldier and a Jedi unlikely to ask for the position of General and yet they were still human (in a relative manner of speaking).

As plagued by individuality as he was, Rex was more of a tactician than a philosopher and being left alone with his thoughts for too long was dangerous.

In some ways, maybe Rex was glad that Ahsoka had finally left him to retire early the night before. Not that he minded her company; it was just her mood that had been eating at him since their shared midday meal. Tired and sitting in the shade of the early morning hours gave him some time to his own thoughts when he wasn't reviewing battle plans and seeing as they had yet to know what to expect, there were no plans to go over, just the conversation with the Togruta last night.

With a sigh the clone ran a hand over his face, his fingers brushing through the short bleached blond hairs spurting from his scalp and tried to convince himself it was just her teenage hormones.

Then again, he himself was beginning to wonder where General Skywalker had gotten to.

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala curled further into her husband's side, pressing her head closer against his bare torso and praying to the fates to simply let him <em>stay<em>.

A muffled groan came from the back of his throat, but he made no indication of being otherwise disturbed. He'd handled the situation last night remarkably well, and for the most part the Nabooan was fairly surprised he hadn't attempted his wit and charm to smooth over the situation, instead merely holding her and existing.

In that moment, there was something about Anakin that Padmé appreciate even more.

The gentle sound he made before rolling over onto his side and looping his arm around her made it quite clear that he was currently awake, especially judging from the way he failed to hide the light grin on his face. Letting out a sigh and a soft smile of her own Padmé reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, placing a kiss in the hollow in his collarbone. Glancing up to leave his calmed expression imprinted in her mind for the next few days she found his eyes open and staring down at her, the blue irises burning in their own way.

"'Morning," He murmured, clearing phlegm from his throat and placing his lips against her forehead. Her eyes closed at the contact and she briefly wondered why she couldn't wake up to this every morning.

"Well good morning to you too." Momentarily extracting herself from his embrace she brought them eye level with one another, scooting further up onto his pillow and running her hand through the hair that had flattened itself to his head during the course of the night.

Anakin removed his hand from where it had been tracing shapes onto her bare shoulder and toying with her nightgown to clasp her wrist, pressing a kiss into the palm while she toyed with a few unruly locks of hair.

"Can't I just stay here?" He said, his gaze returning to his wife. "I'm pretty sure the others can handle this 'party in the middle of nowhere' and the nothingness that's there." He shifted closer, his fingers now trailing down Padmé's outstretched arm. "Besides, I'm busy."

Padmé only grinned. "You've been 'busy' for the past two weeks. And I thought Jedi only went on leave when they earned it."

His expression more than made up for her playful jab.

"I _earned _it! You'd think fending off some beasts and freeing a couple of planets from the Separatists would grant me that much." Anakin scoffed, unable to keep the smile out of his eyes. "But no, a guy can't catch a break, even from his wife."

"Well then who else is supposed to be the breadwinner here? I do what I can to make ends meet and you're off causing explosions!" She did what she could to keep her laugh down a few decibels, but Anakin was not one to be deterred so easily.

"_I _didn't cause that last one! You can thank Obi-Wan for that." He shrugged with his free shoulder. "And besides, it's not like anyone get hurt." He paused, his brow scrunching a bit as he thought. "Well, no one we _knew_, and everyone that exploded was made of metal and shouting 'Roger, Roger' so I don't think they necessarily count."

Padmé gave him a point look, and he let out a huff, flopping over onto his back—bringing his wife with him, as she was still attached—and flinging his flesh arm across his eyes.

"Even my _wife_ doesn't believe me! Woe is my life, no one pities me. Woe." His voice had begun in a rather monotone manner, but then abruptly shifted tone when he continued, lifting his arm a bit to peek out at Padmé: "I said this yesterday, but I'll say it again: Are you trying to get rid of me, Senator?"

The sudden movement on his wife's behalf just about startled Anakin from the way she suddenly hovered over him, wrapping her fingers around his free hand and leaning just a bit too close for him to be thinking clearly again.

"Don't even think about it."

* * *

><p>Commander Cody withheld the urge to yawn for lack of any other life altering activity going on.<p>

He'd already cleaned his gun numerous times and counted the number of people that passed by—sixty-seven clones, five Jedi, and nineteen droids—and standing in place had never been one of the highlights to his short life. Like his brother Rex, Cody was more a man of action than anything, and not having anything to work with at that moment was eating at him horribly.

To say he was relieved when General Kenobi approached him would have been an understatement; what he hadn't expected was the added company that was Anakin Skywalker's Togruta Padawan.

"General," Cody saluted them in the same manner he had on any other occasion, letting a pause slip out before he settled on the correct title for the shorter Jedi. "Commander."

Ahsoka shrugged, and he was momentarily uncertain as to what that implied. He let it slide by without any other remark, sure his spine would snap on him if he tried to stand any straighter while awaiting any comments or concerns from Obi-Wan.

"Commander Cody," He inclined his head to the man he was addressing, a light smile gracing his lips if only to reassure himself more so than the armored man standing before him, "Preparations are going as planned, I take it?"

Cody grinned. "Not too many problems, General. We're just waiting on word from the Council and for General Skywalker to make an appearance."

Obi-Wan nodded at the thought that was the courtesy of awaiting Master Yoda's farewell and any last words of wisdom before they all departed. He offered very few other words as means of encouragement, giving himself a chance to let his eyes rove over the hangar, taking in as many of the sights and sounds as he could.

Given the notion that he didn't really know what to do with the Jedi Master at times like this, Cody looked to the Togruta standing beside him only for her gaze to flit from the floor to him and back again.

The clone cracked his knuckles to break the silence.

"I might not be a professional at solving emotional problems and excuse the lack of respect, sirs, but you both seem to be on edge lately." He resisted the urge to shift his helmet to his other armpit—fidgeting wasn't proper.

Ahsoka felt a blush spread itself across her face and stood at attention while Master Kenobi brought his attention back to the Commander.

"One need not be a professional in anything in order to do it well." As much as he may have respected his commanding officers, Cody was not in the mood for some mystical Jedi mumbo-jumbo. As such, he simply figured that was that and all he wanted to do was a move on. They were burning daylight and where the blazes was Skywalker?

"Don't mind the walking fortune cookie," Ahsoka whispered, leaning toward the clone the moment Obi-Wan had turned away once more to shortly consult with Rex; Cody wasn't oblivious to the smirk that graced his bearded features at Ahsoka's jest, however. "I get what you mean."

He didn't think too much of it and bluntly nodded.

If there was any other real conversation that occurred, Cody didn't hear much of it, so used to the droning that was military protocol and proper formations and battle tactics that he presumably could have repeated the entire exchange that went on between the three without missing a beat.

"We should be ready to leave within the next standard hour, General." The Commander found himself saying, nodding to the array of men assembled around their supplies and the ones currently being loaded.

Obi-Wan nodded in the informal 'yes, of course' manner of his he seemed to adopt in most situations involving the assemblage of troops and getting ready for the conflict he'd been hoping to avoid. Ahsoka stretched, cracking her back and finding another opportunity to attempt another joke—one of the many aspects of her Master that she'd inherited under his tutelage.

"Hey, Master Kenobi?"

She had to bite at her lip to hold back a grin when he slowly turned toward her to give her his attention, quirking his brow in a way that showed he most likely knew what was coming.

"Yes, Ahsoka?"

While she was very well aware that such jabs at a someone with a higher standing than her were for the most part uncalled for, the shocked expression on Cody's face and the chuckle Obi-Wan gave made it worth it in that moment.

"Can you maybe _not_ blow up our transport this time?"

* * *

><p>Padmé was wringing her hands together and telling herself not to because the last thing Anakin needed before he left was to worry about her even <em>more. <em>It was already bad enough that she'd had a near emotional breakdown the night before, and embarrassing as that was, she'd rather not add to the mental strain that would be Anakin thinking of wife while he was gone.

She stood off to the side and watched in silence as Anakin conversed with C-3PO, his hushed tones indicating that he still felt that there was something off about Padmé—whether she hadn't told him the full extent or her dream or if she was merely ill he wasn't sure—and he simply wanted someone looking after her. He would have asked either Sabé or Captain Typho, but doing so felt out of place and left too many questions unanswered. (Although both had their own thoughts on the matter, neither had verbalized them nor made it a point to tell the Skywalkers that they _knew._)

Anakin was over-thinking everything and Padmé _hated_ it.

She was too caught up in his arms in the next moment to think of anything else, so she let it slide for the time being and simply enjoyed the feeling of his embrace and the warmth that accompanied the steady beat of his heart against her cheek.

They enveloped themselves in the nothingness that was one another for the next few moments; Anakin memorizing the contours of Padmé's sides and face, Padmé holding Anakin's face in her hands and refusing to let go until she absolutely had to.

Pulling away from one another they rested their foreheads against the other's own and shared the soft smiles that only the other new.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" In the back of his mind Anakin truly didn't want to ruin their moment by drudging up the one subject his wife had been avoiding since the previous morning. She sighed at the words, steeling her resolve and telling herself that it was simply Anakin's curiosity and the worry that accompanied their relationship at any and all times.

His voice covered her thoughts with a blanket of anxiety she'd been dreading, his emotion thick and raw for the time being.

"I didn't want you to worry." She murmured, interlacing her fingers through his.

He allowed a pause, ghosting his knuckles across her unmarred skin with a phantom grin though his eyes were too hard for her liking.

"Love, you are one of the only things I ever want to worry about."

The sincerity in his words made her heart hurt in a way she couldn't even describe. She tightened her grip on his hand, brushing his knuckles against her lips, fearful of shattering their few moments of peace.

"Don't ever forget how much I care about you."

Padmé refused to let herself cry until his fighter was just another ship lost in the endless sea of movement, her last current memory a quick flash of him: a turn, a wave, a shouted _I love you!_ and the promise to return as soon as possible—three days tops.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka had to make sure she didn't laugh <em>too <em>loud when Anakin came stumbling in, nearly tripping over his own feet in a rush to make up for his tardiness.

"Whoa Skyguy, where's the fire?" She chuckled, received a pointed look from her Master that sent her inwardly recoiling into herself. The hardness left his eyes just as soon as it had appeared and was replaced by the cocky smirk she'd grown used to and began to appreciate over time.

"Under my butt, apparently. Are we all set to go?" Skywalker adjusted his cloak around his shoulders—he'd made sure to bring it this time—and set to looking around the hangar, taking note that it was pretty much empty and the few beings there were currently staring at him. "Ohh…"

His Padawan made a nervous sound through her teeth. "Yeah…A few of the Council members have been here for a bit and were waiting for you to show up. I tried to comm. you a few times."

"Got caught in traffic." Was all he supplied, steadfastly making his way toward the convened group with the clear signal that whatever conversation he'd been about to have with Ahsoka was over or could at least wait until later.

She remained where she stood for a moment, simply staring after Anakin and briefly wondering why there seemed to be a very faint, light, flowery scent following him.

"…within the next day, Masters." He'd been in the middle of some sentence of proposition when Ahsoka finally approached, though she thought he looked a bit too determined for his own good. She failed to voice her opinion on the matter, however, when Mace Windu spoke up.

"You seem to have high hopes from this venture, Skywalker."

Perhaps it was just the Togruta, but Windu always seemed to adopt a colder tone around Anakin.

"I just have a feeling that things are going to go as planned, Master." His head inclined in a slight bow, but anyone looking at him hard enough could easily tell just how insulted he was at the way his ideas were quickly shot down. "Though with all due respect I believe taking action is more likely to make us progress than to stand here and debate how we should go about it."

Obi-Wan was quick to interjection before an altercation ensured between Skywalker and Windu.

"Although his wording may be off to some degree," Anakin made it a point to ignore the 'Look' given to him by his former Master. "I must say that I agree with Anakin. Standing here and discussing the actions we would like to take is vastly different than following through with them."

Aayla Secura had her hands on her hips and was nodding; Yoda was merely pensive and observing the exchanges with a benevolent smile.

"Agreed," Windu eventually ground out, keep his eyes level with Anakin's forehead for another heartbeat. "Report back to the Council when you've made progress or if anything else arises."

"Of course, Master." Kenobi bowed and resisted the urge to elbow Anakin into doing the same.

Ahsoka had followed suit, slowly and quietly standing to her full height as the 'meeting' of sorts began to disband and absently chewing at her lip as she stared after her unruly teacher. Yoda was apparently the only one to have picked up on this peculiar behavior of hers.

"Troubling you, something is, Padawan Tano?"

Despite his diminutive stature and gentle nature, there was always something about the Grand Master that unnerved Ahsoka each and every time he addressed her. The sudden attention she got from the other four Jedi didn't help matters any.

_Yes._

"No, Master, I was simply thinking." She bowed respectfully to Yoda, hoping that he would simply drop it then and there. While he did, she was sure he would keep in mind her eagerness to skirt the discussion.

"May the Force be with you." Mace said to Obi-Wan, the latter of which had grabbed Anakin shoulder in order to grab his attention. Anakin turned his focus away from Ahsoka and Yoda to bow to Windu and the other three Council members bidding adieu to him, his mentor, and Padawan.

"And with you as well."

* * *

><p>"If I have to go over one more datapad I am ejecting myself through the airlock."<p>

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at the younger man's remark, folding his arms into his sleeves and leaning against the metallic wall of the _Resolute_ as they whizzed through the stars at light speed.

"You always did have a flare for the dramatic, young one."

Anakin grumbled and set an aforementioned datapad off to the side, having read up enough on Dantooine's local wildlife for his liking. "I have to make up for your stoic nature."

"Are you saying I'm not amusing?" Obi-Wan scoffed, raising his eyebrow at the man practically sprawling his torso across a table in the _Venator_-class Star destroyer's dining hall.

"No," Anakin sniffed, folding his arms to rest his chin on them. Ahsoka sat on one of the tables opposite them, absently swinging her legs to and fro in the lack of other physical activity. "Your sense of humor is just very dry and sorely lacking."

The rest of the exchange between the two was brief and half-hearted, ending only with Obi-Wan's exasperated, "Anakin, you're going to be the death of me."

Neither Anakin nor Ahsoka (along with a bored Obi-Wan) had been more thankful to be told to head out to the transports than at that moment, the flagship about to exit light speed as it began its final approach to Dantooine.

"Hey Obi-Wan," Anakin called after his Master, having been the last one to finally standing and follow perhaps the only two other Jedi he truly cared for or fully respected. "Try not to blow up too many things without me, huh?"

If Obi-Wan cursed at Anakin, his words were cut off as the door breezed shut behind him.

* * *

><p>"You've got to be kidding me!" Ahsoka huffed indignantly, placing her hands on her hips and then resorting to crossing her arms.<p>

"Ahsoka, I said '_go with Rex_.'" Anakin repeated, clones rushing around the two as the transports were prepared, the flagship then about to enter the Outer Rim planet's atmosphere.

"I know what you said." Ahsoka shot back, noticing out of the corner of her eye that the Captain was watching the exchange and then suddenly felt guilty for the way she sounded. "And I mean no disrespect to Rex, but why don't I just go with you?"

Anakin's scarred brow quirked, and he might as well as have replaced his words with a well-aimed punch to Ahsoka's gut.

"I thought you liked leading missions?"

To Ahsoka's credit, she didn't flinch. "I _do_." She paused. "It's just that…" As much as she wanted to there was no way to say that there was just something _different_ about this mission and that she didn't want Anakin to leave her sight for fear of something happening—whatever that _something_ was. There was a proper time and place for everything.

The only slightly older man ran his gloved mechanical hand through his hair, feeling a quick pang in his chest at the girl's expression. Wanting to smooth things over and get to the bottom of whatever was going on, he chose his next words carefully, if only to appease the Togruta.

"Tell you what, you keep an eye on Rex and I'll meet you at our landing point. If I'm not there in twenty minutes, the first wave of Super Battle Droids—that is, if there are any _actually down there_—is all yours." Anakin was trying to start up their game again, and for the moment it was working to lift Ahsoka's spirits. She gave him a grin and an off-handed shrug, trying to put the last few minutes out of her mind.

"You're on."

Anakin could only shake his head at his Padawan's antics, knowing full well that as soon as the day was out, they were going to have a _talk_—Obi-Wan included—because he wanted to know just _what _was going on.

* * *

><p>From his immediate perspective, Obi-Wan saw that there was only one meager Separatist base set up that was already in very poor condition. Either some of the local farmers had taught the droids what it meant to met the sharp end of a long stick or the higher-ups simply didn't care enough about conquering the planet to establish some real form of command in the area.<p>

Kenobi's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the projective that exploded a few meters too close to his transporter's wing than was healthy.

* * *

><p>Anakin had five clones under his command and too much adrenaline in his system to think straight.<p>

"You! Name!" He shouted over at the man furthest back, earning a startled response from the clone in armor that was a bit too shiny to have seen too much combat. _Easy rookie training_._ Figures._

"CC—" He responded, only for the clone on his immediate left—Red, Anakin knew he'd been called once or twice before—to give him a quick whack to the back of the helmet.

"He asked your name, shiny."

"That's what I was saying—"

"No," Anakin said, blatantly interrupting him for the second time in the past minute. "What do they call you?"

There was a pause, leaving reason to think that perhaps he was too _new_ to have been granted his own moniker.

"Wench, General." The clone finally responded after a moment. "They call me Wench, sir."

"And they call me Anakin." Said man grinned, turning to another he was fairly certain he didn't know. "What about you?"

"Trigger." He responded, quickly coming off as a man of few words. That left Thing One and Thing Two to introduce themselves as The Twins, much to their own amusement as the transport began its final descent.

"All right, now that we all know one another and all that jazz,"

The side panel slid open to reveal a small army of startled Battle Droids now aiming their blasters at the band of Republic soldiers. Anakin let loose an animalistic grin as his hands twitched towards his ever-present lightsaber, the Jedi replaced by the General and man looking for a fight.

"Let's give 'em hell."

* * *

><p>Padmé leaned against one of the pillars of the veranda, keeping her eyes level with the exact spot she'd last been able to make out Anakin's battered yellow ship. As she slumped, the Japor snippet thumbed against her uneasy stomach and she sighed rather than fumed.<p>

"I'm going to hold you to that promise of three days, Anakin Skywalker."


	7. Chapter VI

_"To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none." -Sir Francis Bacon, Essays (1625) "Of Seditions and Troubles"_

**A/N: **Heh heh heh. You know that ball that was rolling? Yeah, now it's really in motion.  
>When I started writing this chapter, I actually thought about including an Author's Note that apologized for how short it was. Uh, I'd like to think 8 pages worth of stuff on Word isn't that short. (I feel like this chapter was written out differently though-more spaced out? I don't know.) That said, chapters from here on out might start getting shorter, just as a forewarning. But hey, shorter chapters also means quicker updates! :D If, uh, any of you care. So yeah.<br>So maybe Obi-Wan and Anakin wouldn't have reacted like they do in this chapter, but for the sake of this story and the circumstances, that's how it is.  
>I've also been considering going back and editing the first few chapters if only to condense them and cut back on some fillerfluff and such, but part of me does like this as is...opinions?  
>Review if you want, don't if you don't. I appreciate thoughts either way.<p>

I hope you won't miss the Anakin/Padmé _too_ much... haha.

Still dedicated to _FishyIcon,_ if she didn't catch that the first time I said it. ;)

Clone Names!  
>Red, Wench: trinity6diversia<br>Trigger: SWBloodwolf

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter VI<strong> – Also Known As 'Murphy's Law: Everything that Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong'

* * *

><p>Mace Windu just about tripped over Yoda when the latter abruptly halted. Quickly side-stepping to avoid a collision, the Korun Jedi Master resisted the urge to squint downward in the harsh light snaking its way through the Temple windows.<p>

"Master?" It was more out of curiosity than brief irritation that Windu addressed him.

"A disturbance in the Force, I feel." The Grand Master replied with an 'hmm' and the narrowing of eyes. "Most concerning it may be."

Mace nodded as much as he could, mentally probing his surroundings in search of the same disruption. "I sense it as well. Only briefly, but there is still something there."

He frowned in his usual manner while Yoda adopted a rather thoughtful expression.

"There is nothing definite about it." Windu continued. "Yet I feel it something to be monitored in the event that it comes to a head. I have a feeling that it may be…" Pausing, the Master folded his arms and left Yoda to finish the statement.

"Dangerous." The shorter—and much older—Jedi supplied, clasping his clawed hands around his ever-present cane.

"Perhaps, I shall see what I can uncover." Windu conceded, inclining his head in a manner that clearly stated that a round of mediation was in order; Yoda returned the gesture in kind.

"Meditate on this, I will."

Bidding the Force's will to one another, the Council members bowed to one another again and parted ways.

"Master Windu," Yoda called after the human male as the latter began striding away, a small smile playing at his aged features. "Contact young Skywalker to access his situation, you must."

Mace would have groaned, had it not been inappropriate for his position.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano withdrew her blade from the metallic torso of a Super Battle Droid only to hack off the arm of another one. Planting her foot firmly on the head of its fallen comrade she deftly leapt above it and successfully cleaved it clear in half. Sidling up to Captain Rex with her lightsaber clasped tightly in her hand and deflecting shots she turned to shout if only to be heard over the din of blasters and repeated orders.<p>

"Any word, Rex?"

He waited to respond and earned a cry from a Battle Droid as he met his mark. "None yet, Commander. He still has another ten minutes."

The Togruta crouched and rendered another droid legless.

"Yeah well, that's not excuse!" She had to frown as Rex and a few of the men behind him blasted away another few lifeless troops. "He should have been here by now."

Despite the full twenty minute mark not having passed yet, Anakin's absence had by default marked the first wave of Super Battle Droids as Ahsoka's. And the second. And half of the third. It had also feverishly picked at the worry that was already eating at her.

"If he's dead, I'm never going to forgive him."

* * *

><p>"Eeeeyeaahh!"<p>

Perhaps it was _wrong_ in a sense, but Anakin truly felt most alive when either home with his wife or in the midst of battle with an ignited 'saber and his own grim determination.

The clones with him would have chuckled at his antics had it not been for the fact that he had leapt right into the fray. They also may have laughed had it not been for that fact that they were currently being shot at and one of their wings was half blown off, making their potential departure all the more difficult.

"He always like this?" Wench shouted over to one of the others—Red, maybe, if it wasn't one of the Twins. The helmet that might as well have been his own reflection interrupted the view of the grin (it was Trigger he was addressing, after all) that was being flashed at him.

"Only if something big's going down."

Red cocked his blaster and let free a few rounds, leaving Wench little to aim at if he didn't feel like shooting at debris.

"And by the looks of this, there definitely is." The clone sneered, leaving the 'shiny' to pick up his pace and tally up a few destroyed droids of his own.

"All right, can it you two!" Thing One shouted, turning around and waving in a frantic _get over here!_ gesture that the two of their newest men were rapidly picking up on. Trigger swiveled in place, quickly scanning the area behind them while the others picked up the pace and sprinted after their General.

For a moment, Thing Two stayed where he was, letting his gaze briefly wander around his surroundings, narrowing his eyes as he slowly completed his scan. He paused temporarily when it came to a small patch off to the side, but it was quickly pushed to the back of his mind when he heard his brother yell to him.

He gritted his teeth and almost reluctantly followed the other men.

* * *

><p>"I thought there wasn't supposed to be anything here!"<p>

Ahsoka was abruptly aware of her Master's sudden appearance when his annoyed bellow graced the airwaves around her head. She glowered, whirling around to face him as the clones around her took out the last of the droids that were left.

"You were supposed to be here half an hour ago!"

Obi-Wan himself flinched at her screech upon his approach, shoving his pinkie finger into his ear and then extracting it. Anakin, however, failed to have the same response.

"Are you kidding me?" He folded his arms crossly and glared down at the Togruta while a blaster bolt whizzed by his head.

"You gave me a twenty minute time frame!" She retorted; her hands balled into fists at her hips. "_Twenty minutes_! And you leave me to take out almost three waves of Super Battle Droids!"

At first, the Knight wasn't sure how to respond. "Oh, so it's my fault that me and these guys were practically ambushed?"

Ahsoka's eyes narrowed, but she said little else on the subject and tried to ignore the blatant tug in her gut.

Kenobi quickly stepped in, if only to bring an end to the verbal battle and avoid it escalating into anything further. Their arguments he could understand, having had many with his former Padawan over the years, but his nerves were currently being grated on and his instincts were screaming at him in warning.

Anakin's next comment was sarcastic, but carried with it its own barb.

"What, did you expect me to die?"

Obi-Wan exchanged a fleeting look with Ahsoka, and the two-second dismal expression she responded with was not something Anakin failed to notice.

He threw his hands up in air, annoyed with the way the two were swiftly skirting around his questions and the general way they had been acting around him for the past day or so. "Son of a nerf herder, you'd think I was on the brink of death or something! Does anyone care to explain what the _hell_ is going on?"

To some extent, Anakin knew his sudden tirade was a bit extreme, but to the same degree, everyone had a boiling point somewhere. His was rapidly getting closer.

Sure that the Jedi Master was going to reprimand him for his outburst, the young man crossed his arms again and waited.

Save for snatches of conversations between cloned soldiers sorting through shrapnel and making sure that any and all remaining battle droids had been destroyed, nothing monumental or life-altering happened.

Anakin's patience had always run thin, but now he was about to reach his breaking point.

First Padmé, and now Ahsoka and Obi-Wan? Even Rex had been giving him wary looks over the course of the morning.

Deciding that right then would not have been the best time to put the proverbial beat-down on everyone he forced himself to take a deep breath, squaring his jaw and trying not to look too much like an enraged bantha.

"Alright look, I know now's not the best time to be having this conversation, but we _will_ talk later." Anakin frowned, and his brow furrowed. "I'd like at least _one_, if not _both,_ of you to explain to me why you've been acting so strange around me for the past day.'

Satisfied with the way Anakin had managed to clear his head in that moment but also perturbed by his anger, Obi-Wan nodded briefly, regarding the young Jedi with a curious look.

* * *

><p>An hour later their scan of the area hadn't proven overly fruitful, seeing as it primarily consisted of sorting through debris and looking for any survivors that may have been glossed over at first.<p>

To say that Anakin's sudden shift in mood troubled Obi-Wan was clear: the abrupt fluctuations in his emotions was something the Jedi Master had grown used to over more than a decade, but the fact that he was seething one moment and unnaturally calm the next was more than just a little unsettling.

Obi-Wan very knew that beneath Anakin's calm exterior a storm was brewing.

"I'm sorry, Master."

The man cut in to Kenobi's thoughts, chancing a side-long glance at the older man. Captain Rex quickly picked up on this and attempted to entice Ahsoka with conversation in order to give the two Jedi some privacy. The bearded man frowned at the use of the title, but he said nothing of it.

"I didn't mean for such an outburst earlier," He continued, and Obi-Wan noted the looks of humiliation and begging for forgiveness in the blue eyes gazing at him as well as the hints of affection in his brother's voice. "It was uncalled for, and I shouldn't be letting things get to me."

"That said, there have been a few occurrences in the past few days that I will admit to having put me on edge as of lately, and again I would like to apologize for my temper."

There was a thud of pride in Obi-Wan's chest as he turned his head away from Anakin, accompanied at the sudden concern that came with it. To him, it was almost as if Anakin were preparing to say goodbye.

Anakin's apologies were not something to be taken lightly, however, as few and far in between as they were. Instead, Kenobi took his words in stride, proud of Anakin's admittance to letting his emotions getting the best of him.

The Jedi Knight began launching into a short tirade, and Obi-Wan took it upon himself to cut him off before he stressed himself further.

"_Anakin,_" He repeated for the fifth time, hints of an amused smirk poking through his beard. The younger man jerked and swallowed, as if expecting some sort of repercussions not only for his rant, but for his extended apology as well. His former Master placed a gloved hand on his shoulder, and he could only give him a puzzled look. "You're over-thinking things again."

The Chosen One rewarded Kenobi with a half-smirk and a slight nod.

"I thought that was your job."

"It is." Obi-Wan grinned as they approached the small area they had settled on for making camp. "So stop it."

The smirk grew into a full smile. "Nah, it's make it all that more entertaining to get under your skin."

Satisfied with their conversation by that point, Anakin broke away to go off and converse with Rex without giving Obi-Wan the cold shoulder outright.

Ahsoka stepped up to him quietly, glancing from him to Anakin and back quizzically.

"Ahsoka, keep an eye on him, will you?" The Master murmured, still not over the tug in his gut and the instinct that was screaming at him to _do something_.

"Of course, Master."

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala had long since learned that C-3PO did not make good dinner company.<p>

She sighed and leaned back into her chair, jabbing at one of her food remnants with her fork and casting a sidelong glance at Anakin's vacant seat while the gold droid prattled on about the day's events or whatever it was that he was talking about.

Had it been anyone else, Padmé would have thought it rude to abruptly stand and leave the table without a word, but seeing as it was only C-3PO, that was just what she did.

Whatever indignant remark he made—if he made any at all—was lost on the young Senator as she mindlessly made her way to the veranda to blindly stare out over the darkening horizon.

"Two days, Anakin." She muttered, folding her arms around herself as she attempted to suppress a shiver. "You have two more days."

"You _promised._"

* * *

><p>Three and a half days after their arrival, and Anakin Skywalker didn't think he'd even been more annoyed in his entire life. It had taken a great deal of willpower to withhold another outburst—only this one in regards to the wife he was still fretting over because they hadn't exactly parted in the most joyous of moods.<p>

Being the Jedi-General he was, however, doing so would have neither been right nor proper. Nonetheless, wandering around a small region of Dantooine and decimating the already dwindling number of Separatist droids was doing little to quell his irritation.

And to think, this carnage had once been an unorthodox form of meditation for him.

Figuring he might as well make the best of the time he had there, as much as he despised the very idea of staying there, Anakin had managed to scrounge up a piece of flimsi and a beaten writing utensil. Just because he was literate and able to do so did not mean his handwriting was the best, of course, but he liked to think it was legible and had a higher purpose.

Namely ending up in the hands of a certain Senator from Naboo within the next few days.

Not one for over exuberant pleasantries and more one to get right to the point, Anakin immediately set to voicing his thoughts and apologizing for taking longer than expected.

* * *

><p>"What's that?"<p>

At the sudden sound of Ahsoka's voice, Anakin would have shot up through the ceiling could the cloth tent be thought of as having a ceiling or if he hadn't of sensed her as he had.

"Personal," He ground out, rushing through a few more words before subtly situating it in such a way that his Padawan wouldn't have been able to read it even if she was feeling overly nosy. Thankfully she wasn't, and Skywalker was able to relax a bit when she sat down on one of the crates farthest from him and next to the opening flap to his tent.

Cautiously, he carried on with his work, peeking at her out of the corner of his eye every so often just to be sure she wasn't snooping.

"Is something wrong?" He pressed after a few moments of pausing in his writing to address his concern for the way she had completely zoned out with a glazed expression. Clearly, Ahsoka was snapped out of her dazed trance when Anakin spoke, if the abrupt shift in her stature was any indication.

"Master Kenobi wanted to speak with you." She said, rolling her head to her shoulder to crack her neck, if only because she could. "I think it has to do with us leaving soon, or at least reporting back to the Council."

The way Anakin's back straightened and his eyes brightened at the idea of leaving was not lost on the Togruta.

"Sounds good to me," He quickly scrawled down a few last words and his signature just as an added bonus and promptly folded it, moving to tuck it into one of the pouches on his belt. He stood, giving his temporary living space a swift once-over before nodding to his Padawan. "We should probably see what he wants then."

Ahsoka chuckled, getting off of her crate and stretching again, waiting to follow her Master out with a bit of a bounce to her step because something was telling her _well, maybe things are going to be okay after all._

She'd paused to wave a few random insects out of her face when she happened to glance down at the ground and Anakin's retreating footsteps.

Bending down swiftly, she scooped up a worn piece of folded flimsi, opening her mouth to call after him and tell him he'd dropped it, only to snap it shut when she found him in the middle of conversation with Master Kenobi and a few other members of Torrent Company.

* * *

><p>"You're kidding me, right?" Anakin chided. "I know I said you had a poor sense of humor before, but this is just low."<p>

Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes; briefly he debated just what would happen if he were to punch Anakin right in the face.

"Nothing was ever definite, Anakin." He said through clenched teeth. "You knew very well from the beginning that we didn't know how long we'd be here. In fact, we still aren't sure that we've completely uncovered every Separatist base that there could be on this planet."

Anakin frowned, and somehow managed to pull off an incredulous expression at the same time.

"That could take _weeks_, if not _months!_" He'd already gone over the three-day limit he'd promised Padmé, and right at the moment there was nothing he was looking forward to more than seeing her.

Ahsoka simply folded her arms and watched the exchange, not overly fond of remaining on Dantooine longer than was necessary, but not feeling it appropriate to say so at the moment. The last thing Obi-Wan needed was to think they were going to gang-up on him.

"Again, that is something we were well aware of from the start."

"You said _days_, not _months_ or whatever indefinite period of time." Skywalker retorted, reminding himself of their altercation a few days previous and that he ought to have been keeping his temper in check. "Do you honestly think there's actually anything else here, Obi-Wan?"

The older man sighed. "The Council informed us that—"

Anakin frowned again and quickly interrupted him. "I asked if _you_ thought there was something here. Not the _Council._"

If Anakin had been working to get himself into hot water, he ought to have been boiling by now.

Obi-Wan had silenced the young Jedi with a well-aimed glare, though he himself would not be the first to admit that he was seriously looking to departing for Coruscant as well. That did not mean he was going to take this jab at the Council sitting down.

"_Anakin._ Do not think that simply because I overlooked your outbursts once will mean I will do again. I spent ten years doing so, and I will _not_ tolerate parenting you _again_ as an adult."

His brief but forceful statement was successful not only in ending the argument, but in hardening something in Anakin's eyes as well. Vaguely, Obi-Wan wanted to apologize for the insult—it was low jab, but something other than Anakin had been getting on his nerves and he had yet been able to voice it to the man in question.

Ahsoka hadn't gasped, but she had been visibly shaken at the sudden darkening of Anakin's expression while he only appeared to brush the blow off and take it in stride.

"We will leave whenever you are prepared to do so, _Master _Kenobi."

* * *

><p>In some ways, Anakin <em>knew<em> he was in the wrong and that another apology was in order, but the look that Obi-Wan had had in his eyes didn't help matters any. The patronizing tone he had taken did nothing to soften the blow.

Perhaps again he was over-reacting, but all the same he felt it was called for from the way that he and Ahsoka had practically been dancing around him and refusing to answer any of his—though unasked—questions.

Letting out a disgruntled sigh, Anakin gave the tree nearest him a quick blow with a metal fist.

"General Skywalker,"

He turned slowly, taking his time in meeting the eyes of one of the men he had been leading for some two years or so. (Or was it three? He couldn't remember anymore: the War had been going on for so long.)

"Captain,"

If Rex was annoyed with him as well, at least he had the courtesy not to show it. The clone nodded, adjusting his helmet under his arm. "There are a few more preparations that must be made before we can actually leave."

Anakin's shoulders slumped in guilt, but he said nothing.

"However, there are also a few other sections that we were assigned to that haven't been cleared yet."

Anakin barely contained the urge to punch his tree again.

"We've been here for almost _four_ days. The area we're checking out isn't that big." He said, jaw tight. "How does that happen?"

The Captain frowned, but at what specifically, the General wasn't sure. "I honestly couldn't tell you, sir."

'Sir' rolled his eyes and waved his flesh hand dismissively. "Ah well, if it gets us home any sooner, let's just get it done with."

"Right away, General." Rex said with a respectful nod, shoving his helmet on and making his way back to camp.

Anakin let out a breath through his teeth and then began stalking after the path Rex had taken. He muttered with sarcasm,

"Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

><p>"It's<em> me<em>, how much trouble could I get into?" Anakin huffed, struggling to keep his sarcasm and residual annoyance at bay. Obi-Wan had just informed him of one of the few sections of their investigated quadrant left unchecked, and Anakin had promptly taken it upon himself to go scout of one of the least promising ones if only to get this whole ordeal over with.

Obi-Wan ruefully tugged at his beard. "Please, don't ask me that."

Skywalker rolled his eyes, tossing his arms to the sides.

"At least take some men with you if you're going to attempt what would have been a solo mission for yourself."

"Yeah," Anakin regarded him with a strange look that clearly stated _well, I was going to do that anyway, but thanks. I guess._ "I was planning on it."

The Jedi Master grimaced either way. Obviously the Knight felt it time for one of his cheeky grins, if only to get his point across and not depart on the wrong foot.

"Give me five minutes."

Kenobi narrowed his eyes a bit at the comment, but found himself nodding anyway. Doing so elicited a quick grin from Skywalker a whoop to alert a few men that they were going to be needed and to start following him before he sprinted off.

"Five minutes!" Obi-Wan called after his apprentice, a hollow feeling overwhelming him as he watched the young man dart away with a small fistful of clones. A rather heartless chuckle came from Anakin's direction, and Obi-Wan's heart thudded just a bit harder.

"I'll be right back!"

* * *

><p>Anakin hardly had time to even gasp before the blast hit.<p> 


	8. Chapter VII

_"To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none." -Sir Francis Bacon, Essays (1625) "Of Seditions and Troubles"_

**A/N:** ugah. So, it would appear that my goal to update at least once a month might actually succeed! Huzzah!  
><em>SWBloodwolf<em> told me that she wanted to see a lot happen in this chapter, so I figured what the heck? Why not? It worked a lot better doing it this way than any other, and I thought it worked nicely when it came to leading toward the next bit. I got to tell you things I wouldn't have been able to tell you if they hadn't been included here! (And thank you so much for helping out with those two bits, mate! I really appreciate it!)  
>And Fishy, not too worry! Padmé won't be so weak or something of the like later on. She's just emotionalwhatever you want to call it at the moment for the next few (2 or 3, maybe?) chapters.  
>Yeah, and Cody &amp; Rex's story might sound like some b.s. now, but I'm still trying to plot this thing out as I go...<br>derp.

Carry on!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter VII<strong> – Also Known As 'If You Die, I'm Going to Kill You'

* * *

><p>"Fall back!"<p>

"Move it, move it!"

"—that's an order!"

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala had put on a pretty face and smiled and made small talk and <em>pretended<em>, but inside all she wanted to do was scream and rush back home to burrow herself into her blankets and sleep.

Not to mention find her mother's recipe for the soup she'd always made her as child for an upset stomach.

That had been three hours ago.

Padmé rubbed at her side, narrowing her unease down to either the cramps that plague her and most other females or the indigestion from the unruly breakfast she'd forced herself to eat because she'd never hear the end of it from C-3PO otherwise.

Damn Anakin and his four day absence. Here she was sitting the Grand Convocation Chamber and all she could think about was her husband. In some ways she was ashamed of that fact—while he occasionally would slip through her thoughts from time-to-time, she was still perturbed over their most recent parting and the unsettling feeling that had thus taken up residence in her chest. It was slowly seeping into her abdomen and she suppressed a groan as a result.

She bit back her scathing retort and sat in her assigned Senatorial pod, casting a sidelong glance at Captain Typho and not having it in her to verbally back-hand today's opposition as they came to a rest in their starting position. Shifting around again and battling with her discomfort, Padmé found herself not for the first time counting down the minutes until the session ended.

Ten standard minutes later and judging from the way Senator Burtoni was prattling on, Padmé thought they'd never leave.

By the time the Chancellor finally adjourned them her face was flushed and she was hoping that her stomach wouldn't have an upheaval until she'd left to find privacy. Her vision swam as she stood too abruptly and braced herself against the wall, delicately refusing Typho's aid before slowly making her way into the hallway only to find two other Senators waiting for her. It wasn't that she had no desire to see them—she just had no desire to see them at that exact moment.

A fine looking man for his age, Bail Organa cast the Nabooan a small smile that she found some reassurance in as she joined his alongside Mon Mothma. Whatever remarks they made or inquiries they aimed at her were lost on Padmé as her restless mind could fluctuate between two thoughts: those of her husband, and those of going home.

She'd been half-listening to their conversation when she found herself staring into Bail's shocked eyes, clawing at his sleeves as the floor rose to meet her.

* * *

><p>"Find any survivors—"<p>

"The hell is this—!"

"Fall back! Fall back!"

* * *

><p>Master Yoda wavered in his stance, his ever-present cane nosily falling to the floor and rolling away from where he stood.<p>

He gave a painful grunt as he clutched his chest, weary eyes staring blankly out through the Plexiglas windows of the Temple.

Utter _pain_ and desperation hummed through the Force, coursing through his entire being and ricocheting around him. He grimaced as one hand traveling to his head as it reached a climax, agony singing a horrid tune.

Just as quickly it had began it ended, leaving Yoda numb and for the first time in centuries truly afraid of whatever reality had caused this.

A Force signature weakened, and he found himself soon unable to detect it.

* * *

><p>Padmé did her best not to stumble into her own home, her equilibrium still off-balance from her near-fainting spell only a short time ago. Typho had his hand placed gently but firmly on her elbow as he guided her to the sofa where she'd sat with Anakin last. The frown that had accompanied his expression the duration of the speeder ride was beginning to carve lines into his tanned face.<p>

"I'm fine, Captain. Honestly." She said as he helped ease her down onto the cushions, finding the entire situation a little more than just 'silly.'

He nodded slowly and reluctantly seemed to accept her plausible excuse that she'd not eaten much in the past few days and that her body was simply tired. She really hadn't had anything except for the meals (that weren't terribly good) practically forced upon her by Sabé, who was just then making her way into the room upon hearing Padmé's exasperated sigh.

There was a gentle murmur between them—Padmé assumed he was filling the handmaiden in on the current circumstances—before Typho finally turned to leave.

He shot another glance at Sabé who barely suppressed the urge to make some sort of shooing motion before the door finally slid shut behind him.

She allowed Padmé a moment of peace before she turned to her.

"Milady—"

"Have you heard anything, Sabé?"

* * *

><p><em>Five <em>_minutes_.

The words repeated themselves in Obi-Wan's head and all he could do was stand and wait numbly. One of the soldiers darted past him, visibly jostling the man as the butt of a gun slammed into his arm. There was a muffled, half-hearted apology before they all realized they were fighting blind.

_Five minutes._

Shots were fired into dirt and dust and scans were quickly looking any other mines similar to the one that had just blown a clone sky-high, but all Obi-Wan could focus on was the fact that Anakin wasn't there. Gone for two minutes, and all hell had broken loose.

Five. Minutes.

He knew he should have been doing something—barking orders, igniting his lightsaber and _leading_—, anything other than just standing as dread sunk in with its icy little fingers, but doing so would acknowledge the fact that Anakin wouldn't be making it back on his own.

Where was Ahsoka? Worrying about her right then was the least Obi-Wan could do.

He had taken a step forward with his hand to the hilt of his lightsaber and the grim determination to focus on anything other than his brother when there was a sudden click beneath his worn boot.

A number of thoughts went through his mind, but no one of them ever pertained to himself.

_I'll be right back!_

* * *

><p>Sabé swallowed and stared at her mistress, warring with herself over whether it was better to lie or to perhaps gloss over a few of the finer details, such as the Council having proven no good when it came to disclosing information, or that the private channel that linked them to Anakin had been severed.<p>

The silence was all Padmé needed, and she turned toward the veranda as a frown marred her features.

* * *

><p>Obi-Wan gasped as his back slammed against the ground, groaning at the extra pressure on his chest, the clone's armor adding weight that even then he struggled to remove.<p>

There was a flash of green and a hum off to his side, and he found himself unable to smile even as Ahsoka dropped to her knees beside him, making it a point not to look him in the eye.

The clone gave a low moan in the back of his throat as she gently rolled him off of the dazed General, one of their too few medics cropping up in order to assess them both.

Obi-Wan lied and claimed he was fine.

The two Jedi made the mistake of making eye contact. The Togruta opened her mouth to speak, only to be interrupted but Commander Cody's sudden presence and a reluctant Captain Rex trailing behind, walking backwards with twin blasters still raised and a frown beneath his helmet.

"Sirs, we need to leave."

* * *

><p>Padmé folded her arms together, shivering as she stood in the empty air above the city, watching aimlessly as traffic came to a never-ending flow.<p>

Sabé, unsure what to do right then, remained where she stood with her eyes on the younger woman and waited.

"I honestly don't know why it bothers me so much," She murmured, capturing the handmaiden's attention and bringing her a few steps closer to the Senator. "It never has before."

The fellow Nabooan let out an audible breath as her footfalls brought her only an arm's length away from the clearly distraught woman.

"I know you don't like Anakin, Sabé." She said, bothered by the fact that this absence was getting to her more so than any of his others. He could be gone for weeks on end, but these past for days have proven to be a hell she hadn't even prepared for. "But please, spare me your pity."

With the lack of response, Padmé assumed that the other woman had left, and continued believing so until a hand reassuringly graced the side of her arm.

"It isn't that I dislike him, milady. I simply dislike what he's done to you."

Sabé only meant the inner turmoil he constantly brought to Padmé whenever they were together, and Padmé knew it. She couldn't help but think that Sabé believed he caused her other forms of pain, emotional or not.

Instead the hand gently rubbed Padmé's rather cold arm through the cloth of her sleeve, and she found relief in the older woman's presence, resisting the urge to lean back and hug her.

Padmé frowned and steeled her resolve. She was a former Queen and now a Senator, for Force's sake. Sitting around and moping would do no good.

She was not weak, she was not overly emotional—she was Padmé Naberrie Amidala (Skywalker).

And there were things to be taken care of.

With that thought, Padmé took in a breath, letting it and all of the negative emotions swirling inside of her out as she stood to her full height. In regards to thinking that things needed to be taken care of and looked after, she initially meant the question as a joke, but something to be dealt with all the same.

"Sabé, could you do me a favor?"

* * *

><p>"No; I asked you a question! Answer me!"<p>

Getting involved in a shouting match with the Jedi Padawan was not something that Fives had planned on, and it was getting increasingly irritating that she was taking so much attention away from the wounded soldiers that needed to be tended to. As much as he may of respected her, he was not about to let men die just because she was angry and firing questions at him like an over-eager droideka.

"Commander," He ground out, growing a bit more than exasperated with her irritable demeanor. "You'll be better of asking either Rex or one of the medical technicians. I don't know anything."

Five flinched at something that flashed through eyes when her angry mask cracked upon hearing his words.

He stepped away and shifted his suddenly heavy helmet under his arm.

"I really am sorry."

* * *

><p>Padmé and Sabé sat together and waited for a few moments, one anxiously waiting and the other putting on a steel mask to the blanket of anxiety threatening to suffocate them both.<p>

Sabé had no idea what to say, and didn't think that doing so would help matters any.

Instead, they exchanged a look, and the reassuring smile Sabé meant to give died on her lips.

* * *

><p>It took Ahsoka almost twenty minutes to find Obi-Wan, and another twenty to get them to let her see him.<p>

She'd tried not to elbow her way through to where he was seated on a medical bed, one of the medics still checking the way his pupils dilated and other various motor functions. Kenobi nodded in Ahsoka's general direction, acknowledging her presence but all the same firmly telling her to keep her tongue in place until it was appropriate.

The clone finally left his side and she made to approach him, only for Rex to come barging in, Cody hot on his heels.

Ahsoka barely bit back her annoyed groan and flopped lifelessly into one of the seats nearby, watching the three with steaming, half-lidded eyes.

Obi-Wan shot her a look as his fingertips gingerly brushed against the wound bandaged on his forehead. He slowly nodded to each of the men in turn. "Captain, Commander."

They exchanged a stoic look with one another, and it was then that Padawan Tano sat up fully, balancing precariously on the edge of her seat and her body humming with the strain of biting back any verbal lashes and apprehension. She reluctantly kept her mouth shut as Rex slowly drew the curtain around them to a close, Cody shooting her a look as he recalled their last interaction—mostly her running and charging through smoke and dust, barking orders and questions he didn't have answers for.

Kenobi waited until the Captain had secured privacy for their conversation to pry.

"We looked into the situation as soon as we departed," The Commander replied. "We discovered that a great deal of what we were just recently fighting may in fact have only been a series of landmines or other traps that were set up years ago only to be forgotten about. In all honesty, we may have very well not have been fighting anything at all."

Ahsoka fought against the bile in her throat.

"What we did also discover, however, was that many of those explosions we encountered were in fact set up by the Separatists, and we—"

"I thought you just said they were set up years ago." Ahsoka suddenly cut in, having stood and balled her hands into shaking fists. "How could the Separatists _possibly_ have set them up if they were formed only recently?"

Cody, clearly taken back by this outburst, paused for a moment and tried to collect his thoughts.

"I'm not saying that this is any sort of joke, Commander. I'm simply saying that we may have very well just been ambushed by an enemy we weren't previously aware of—"

"How are we supposed to fight an enemy we don't know?"

She knew the answer, but she simply didn't want to admit it.

Ahsoka spun on her heel and shoved the curtain to the side, storming away and hiding her cracked expression from the three men staring after her.

Obi-Wan had sat in relatively numb silence the duration of what could hardly be considered a briefing when another absence struck him.

* * *

><p>"I can't be here, Sabé." Padmé murmured, her hands wringing together as her body demanded some sort of action from her other than simply standing around and pacing. Something needed to be <em>done. <em>"I can't."

"I understand, milady." The older woman responded, inclining her head in a respectful nod. Padmé's emotions had been taking a toll on bother of them, but neither wanted to admit it. She'd meant to say something more when Typho suddenly came into the apartment, swiftly calling out for the Senator.

With one last fleeting glance at Sabé, she hurried out of the room and into the main entryway to greet the Captain, her heart thudding a bit harder in her chest than she thought was necessary. Without introduction or prelude, Typho opened the door again and gestured for the woman to follow him.

"They'll be entering the atmosphere shortly."

Padmé had never been more thankful for his ability to cut right to the chase when she needed it most.

Quietly, Sabé entered the room just as Padmé left it, watching the entrance close slowly behind them both as she slowly sank into a nearby chair.

She kept her gaze level with one of the vases before her, brown eyes flickering between that and the doorway, as if expecting a sudden reappearance.

Although it truly wasn't her business, Sabé found herself looking down at her folded hands and a small, sad smile graced her features at the thought.

"Congratulations, Padmé."

* * *

><p>Ahsoka's footsteps brought her down the medical wing of <em>The <em>_Resolute_ with shallow, angry breaths as she struggled to rein in her emotions and clear her mind.

Much, much easier said than done.

Her legs began moving slower as reality fizzled in through the furious haze surrounding her, making her breath catch in her throat. Bracing herself against the wall with one outstretched hand she placed the other to the side of her face, closing her eyes and telling herself to avoid hysterics.

She placed her back against the cool metal and slid down it, tucking in her legs to keep from tripping any of the men darting by to offer whatever aid they could, wedging herself into one of the crannies of the wall and simply stared for a few moments.

Ahsoka buried her face in her hands and desperately tried not to think.

* * *

><p>Obi-Wan had been gazing at the ceiling ever since Rex and Cody had left him after Ahsoka's outburst, his back still bruised from where one of the clones had tackled him to the ground in the event of an explosion.<p>

He hadn't even noticed that he'd placed one of his hands over his heart until he felt it beat beneath his fingertips.

Reveling in the sensation, the Jedi Master found that it took his mind off of everything else, enrapturing him in the constant, reassuring steady rhythm coursing through him and reminding him that he was _alive_.

Reminding him that someone else might not be.

Forcing himself up, Obi-Wan made the move to stand, bracing his hands on either side of his legs and pushed off of the bed, and into a standing position.

He fell to his knees and made no move to stand.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka had been planning on returning to the far end of the room where Obi-Wan had been left to apologize when she suddenly halted.<p>

Her heart beat in her chest with a dull ache and she had to remind herself not to get her hopes up too much.

That reminder was quickly squashed at the sight of a tuft of brown hair poking out from under a blanket.

She hardly resisted the urge to smile and cry.

* * *

><p>Padmé was clutching her hands so tightly that her fingernails were leaving small white crescents on her palms. Only a short trip really, and the landing bay had never seemed so far away.<p>

Typho had barely stationed their speeder where it was authorized when she was launching herself out of it.

She had her skirts clutched tightly in her hands to avoid tripping as she practically sprinted toward the group steadily exiting the transports carrying them to and fro. Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of Ahsoka's familiar montrals, and a smile split across her face.

Unshed tears formed at the sight of their return, reassurance briefly warring with dread for residence in her stomach as she nearly launched herself at them.

Padmé was still smiling and withholding her tears of joy when she let go of a momentarily bewildered Obi-Wan who had returned her embrace after a moment of shock. He'd tried to smile as well, but whether or not she caught the crack in it he didn't know, seeing as she'd already turned to greet the Padawan in the same fashion by the time it had formed.

Ahsoka held onto her just a bit tighter than she normally would have, Padmé quickly noted.

Undeterred by the Togruta's blatant search for comfort, the Senator kept her hands on the girl's elbows, giving them a light squeeze from which she received a small smile in response.

She was practically beaming at the two and completely disregarding the public displays of affection that probably shouldn't have happened when it hit her. There was an unsteady beat, and neither of the dismal expressions on the others' faces helped matters any.

Just as soon as it had leapt into her throat, her heart plummeted to her stomach, taking her smile with it.

"Where's Anakin?"

* * *

><p>Somewhere across the galaxy, a tired blue eye slowly cracked open.<p> 


End file.
